Red Lines
by jd009
Summary: The Red line; a figurative point of no return, a limit past which safety can no longer be guaranteed. I've always wanted to travel the stars...of course being kidnapped by a madman in a blue box wasn't how I imagined it happening. Throw in a malfunctioning, mystical red locket and a man who knows everything about you and you have a sure recipe for trouble. Doctor/OC
1. Prologue: Riana'Cekina Tahlay

**AN Hi all, it's been a while since I have published anything and frankly I'm bit sad to say previous stories published were a bit rubbish. So in a moment of mad inspiration, this story came to me. I have currently been obsessing over Doctor Who for ages now and this just came to me and decided to throw itself in my lap and demand my muse to get off her lazy backside and get me to write. Ok bit of a mouthful that last sentence. So I have decided to give it another go after reading so many wonderful stories in this fandom and being totally inspired to try my own hand. I welcome positive feedback as I am an aspiring writer and I am always open improving my writing. Please no flames, they will not be responded too. But truthfully I would really like to know what people think and if you want to say your piece in a constructive manner please feel free to do so :) I currently have a rough draft planned out for the next twenty chapters but I am not sure how often I will publish as University starts soon so I will be busy.**

 **jd009**

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 **Chapter 1: Riana'Cekina Tahlay**

 **Prologue**

 _Tiaanamat, Akhaten a long time ago…_

The market place was bustling with people going about their business on a normal day. All manner of aliens both local and from far off systems could be seen. Stalls lined the walkways, with vendors yelling out their wares over the clamour of overwhelming noises coming from the various individuals talking. One could get easily lost in the cadence of life that continued on at an ever steady rate in this place.

Pilgrims came to view the beautiful golden temple of Akhaten where it was believed that all life began from. Other local residents on the asteroid buying and selling produce to earn a living made up the rest of the population. For the most part it was a peaceful place where most people didn't care to stir up trouble.

However while most people wouldn't be in trouble that day, I would be if I continued to be stalled in getting my bundle to the market. As much as I loved to come to the market to simply watch the continuous flow of movement, my mother would chew out my hide if I was late with the delivery of precious goods that was destined for the higher rings of Tiaanamat to Reen. If I didn't deliver I didn't get paid and if I didn't get paid we didn't eat. Such was the realities of life.

Some would claim that we were blessed living in the light of Grandfather, how many individuals got to say they saw the creator of the universe every day. Most of the relatives back on Zanthe declared we were an inspiration to all Zell everywhere.

Ahina, my aunt would come to visit every cycle and it was also the day I dreaded the most. She was a right horror, always claiming what my mother could be doing better. It irritated me to no end and made me want to telekinetically throw her out an airlock at times. But I would look at my mother silently bearing it and I would tell myself that if she could withstand it so could I.

This brought me to my current position which was trying to push through the crowd of aliens trying to get one of the drop points where Reen could collect his shipment of precious possessions. I had mostly succeeded and was only one block away when a particularly grumpy Vossarian growled at me in Ahkeet the local dialect spoken in these parts and pushed me causing me to drop my bundle all over the ground.

I felt like crying.

Zell were not an uncommon sight in the Rings, but we were not particularly numerous either and there were some residual feelings of irritation, from the other local species with us. It stemmed from hundreds of years ago with a war that was fought in the name of Grandfather, where many Zell chose to not fight and stated they would not follow the ways of a heretic 'God'. Others viewed it as cowardly and naturally drew the conclusion that all Zell were untrustworthy. So lead to many others treating us with impatience and distaste at times for our "dreamling" ways.

I snorted in disdain.

"Hey!" I yelled from where I bent down to pick up my bundle on the ground. "Aren't you going to help me pick this up you _poshtak_?" The Vossarian only swore at me calling me a lowlife clumsy _tek tek_ and basically told me to go and jump. I sighed in irritation and tried to rein in my temper. I wouldn't throw the ignorant _punkal,_ my mother taught me better than that. I wouldn't have done anything, I swear on Akhaten himself, I would have walked away if the Vossarian had just left. However he had to go and insult my mother's wares. Things she has spend decades collecting and storing Preciousness in them. Things she has put her _heart_ and _soul_ into, so that we could make a living, which was hard enough with us being Zell in the middle ring and that had her own sister criticising her for and made her feel miserable about. Maybe then I wouldn't have done what I did.

"What did you just say?" I growled in a low voice a blue light field started to form around my hand.

"I said even if I could be bothered to help you, why would I ever touch such average trinkets from such a dirty hand. They are basically worthless." To add insult he spat at he turned to walk away. With that I yelled out and pushed a field around him. It shimmered a light blue that was a tell tale sign of a Zell telekinetic field and squeezed him tight as I lifted him up and threw him across the market place. I should have just walked away, except the motion was too hard and caused him to crash into another stall breaking it. The vendor started swearing and abusing the Vossarian for breaking his wares. The Vossarian went to punch the vendor but missed. Instead hitting another woman walking past, which caused a fight to break out. Soon the entire street was up in arms.

I was ducking and dodging before too long, cursing myself for being so stupid. I was just so fed up and over other people telling me what I was worth or in their opinion: wasn't. I tried to pick up as many of the precious items as possible but most of them had been trampled on and was partially broken. I cursed, my mother was going to be furious or heartbroken…

However I grabbed what I could, trying to make myself seem less conspicuous amongst the brawling bodies in the street. I felt my hand touch something, it was round with many raised surfaces and delicate I could tell. I snatched it up with what else I could into my pockets and tried to bolt out of the street. I reached an alleyway and leaned against the wall breathing hard.

Grandfather damn all, I hadn't meant for any of that to happen, which quickly reminded me of my wares, feeling my pockets I found I had only managed to save around 6 items out of 20. I cried out in despair as I turned around and angrily kicked the wall I had been leaning up against. I half screamed in irritation as I realised how much my own stupidity had cost my mother.

Her work was loved throughout the city. She had a unique talent for finding rare items and making them Precious beyond measure. We traded through Reen as he had many more connections then either of us. Many of her buyers didn't even really know who made the wares. But this was a disaster! This would hardly cover next week's expenses.

Suddenly, I remembered the trinket I had half snatched out of the street, I wasn't sure if it was one of my mother's. That made seven though, so maybe I wouldn't be completely screwed over.

It was beautiful to look at, with a sturdy gold chain connected to a gold circular locket. Two red gems could be seen on it. One on the pendant and one above it connected to two golden wings which the chain attached to. The pendant was covered with soft pearls arranged around the centre gem in the shape of a cross. The pendant hung from between the two gold wings.

But everyone knew it wasn't how something looked that made it valuable, this necklace might be the most beautiful trinket in the whole of the seven worlds but not be worth a cent if it had no Precious to it. Precious was psychometric imprint that was left over time by an individual on an object of value. Imprinted with memories and feelings it grew more valuable the more if was loved or even hated. Preciousness was the currency of Akhaten and the Seven Worlds of this system.

This pendant was filled to the brim with it, maybe twice as much as any of the other objects my mother had sent me to the market to give to Reen. Yet looking at it made me reluctant to part with it. It was filled with memories and I could almost taste them by just holding it. I could almost hear an otherworldly song emanating from it, calling to the depths of my soul as though we were of the same source…

I shook myself out of my stupor. _Get a hold of yourself Riana, it's your imagination,_ I thought to myself. When I glanced up, I took in my surroundings for the first time and the most immediate object to grab my attention was a strange looking blue box. It had alien writing on it which I couldn't read although it certainly left my head hurting as to its strange presence in a deserted alleyway. It simply made no sense, how could I have not noticed it? I was far from stupid, maybe in all my haste to flee the scene of my crime I hadn't been paying proper attention to the glaringly obvious object just sitting there…humming?

Wait what? It was humming? Blue boxes shouldn't do that; they shouldn't sound as though they were alive, unless this strange blue box was? I shook my head calling myself a _tooktin_ and started to back out of the alley to get away from the strange object.

I had half succeeded until a loud angry voice yelled above the din;

"There! There she is, that's the _tek tek_ who threw me, and she started this!" Damn, it was that oaf of a Vossarian who had insulted me as well as knocked over all my stuff from before. Beside him were two Officials charged with maintaining security in Tiaanamat market place. I took one look and fled as fast as I could. Shouts for me to halt and to say I was in trouble reached my ears. I ignored them all in favour of avoiding trouble like a plague. Pushing people aside as I sprinted as if hungry walwalows were after me.

I managed to lose them by hiding behind a stall. I could hear there heavy footsteps as they clomped past. I held my breath as I waited for my racing heart to slow. Finally I dared to glance around from my hiding place to see that the coast was clear. There were relatively few people around at the moment as most had been caught up in the street brawl or had decided to take a different route.

I shakily stood and walked out of my hiding place, trying to look as casual as possible, as if I hadn't just been responsible for a street brawl. I managed to make my way back towards the edge of the market place when I heard an old man's voice talking. It was strange though, while he was speaking Akheet, it almost sounded as though it was an overlay or a translation of it- not that translators weren't uncommon, just more unusual. I turned to see a species I had never seen before; he looked like a Zell or Quanian except without the blue hair or ridges on the face, respectively. He had white hair and wore a strange outfit the like of which I could not ever seen. He walked with a cane and his voice was deep and held much knowledge to it.

He was talking to a young girl who also wore strange clothing and had short dark hair and extremely intelligent eyes. They seemed to be disagreeing on something. I didn't mean to do it, but I stopped to listen.

"…No, no Susan that will simply not do. I will not have such nonsense from you. That is the end of that I should think." The old man said. The girl looked annoyed.

"I'm telling you Grandfather, the _swoollyolop_ gave off the strangest signal. I set it to pick up and residual energy bands left over that shouldn't resonate with the technology of this time and place. Something definitely registered less then 4 minutes ago and I think we should investigate." The girl Susan said in her no nonsense sort of voice. What in the name of the Seven Worlds a _swoollyolop_ was I couldn't even begin to guess, but it definitely sounded like an alien word.

Just as the old man was about to respond his head suddenly turned a perfect 90 degrees and his eyes meet mine dead on. His eyes were ancient and there was some strange sort of power behind them. I shivered without really meaning too. A drumming began behind my temple and seemed to resonate throughout my body, tingles ran up my spine and I was sure as the Old God himself, that if I were to suddenly come into contact with him something terrible would occur.

I would have kept staring if rough hands didn't grab me and force me to the ground.

"We got her; I repeat we have the Zell female in custody. Gave us a good slip, but not for long. We're bringing her in now." A male Officials voice said from behind me. I shrugged the strange trance like state that had overcome me from meeting the strange aliens eyes in favour of fighting my captors.

"Get off me _poshtak,_ I haven't done anything! You can't just treat me like this!" I demanded. The Official only laughed.

"Be quiet _punkal_ before I have to restrain you further. You have caused more then enough _zeem'al_ this afternoon for the rest of the month combined. Your lucky I don't just _shahk_ you in place and hall you _dwinni_ ass to the holding cells." He growled as he hauled me up after cuffing me.

I tried to catch another glimpse of the mysterious alien man and his granddaughter but they had disappeared into thin air and the only sound I could hear was a strange wheezing noise.

I was unceremoniously dumped in a holding cell after I was searched and all my valuables were stripped from my pockets. My mother was going to kill me. Strangely enough they didn't take the gold locket which I still grasped in my hand all this time. I managed to put it on under my dress do it wouldn't draw attention, as if that was the only valuable thing I had left it was going to be worth every precious imprint in it.

I could see other beat up and bruised individuals in other cells around me, force fields holding them in place. I angrily bashed my fist against the force field but only ended up with a nasty sting. I swore before rubbing my fist gently against my other hand to sooth the sting.

Unfortunately these holding cells were designed with a telekinetic in mind, so I could use my powers to get out. I slumped onto the bench in the cell hugging my knees to my chest, trying to figure out my day had come to this.

Maybe I was just too angry, to fed up with the _Eki nai_ to take things lying down anymore. I was tired of always being trodden on or being forced to restrain myself when I saw how hard my mother worked for so little. Or maybe I just wanted to get out and not be tied down to one place forever.

I had always dreamed about the stars and the far off Seven Worlds of this system. I wanted to see them, to live under an open sky; to walk the streets of Zanthe and not be judged for my species.

I glanced down at the locket again, but this time instead of a strange song I heard instead voices. The Preciousness in this object was so great that it must be thousands of years old.

"…I am a Time Lord, the last of them… You're a Dalek!.. Riana, Rose run!... You're from my future, my past and my present our timelines are intertwined like a never ending line… Shut up, shut up shuttity shuttity up up… You and me, time and space, you watch us run…" I let go of the locket immediately as I had noticed the red gems had started to glow. The silence after the voices was strange, my heart raced as I tried to make sense of what the words had meant. I wasn't sure I wanted to keep it, but a voice in my head kept saying that I would regret giving in to my impulses.

A loud noise outside my cell woke me from my stupor as footsteps approached where I was sitting. I looked up to see an Official, my mother and my… Aunt Ahina.

I was Akhatenly screwed.

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Currently I was being chewed out in the biggest Grandfather of all time scoldings. I don't think words alone could describe just how angry my mother was and it wasn't helping that every so often my Aunt Ahina would chip in with her unnecessarily helpful hints of advice, as to what she thought my mother should be doing and just how disappointed I had made her. I wanted to _shahk_ her in the face.

"Are you even listening to me Riana'Cekina Tahlay? So help me even Grandfather won't be able to save your dwinni ass if I find out you have just ignored everything I have just said. Not only have I lost all my Precious items, I now have to pay back the Officials for all the damage you've caused." She paused for breath and as I was about to tell her what happened she continued.

"I know it's been difficult since your father left, but this can't keep going on. It's always one thing or another with you. I've tried talking to you, grounding you, punishing you even getting you to do other work, I've been patient but my patience had now reached the end of it's limits. I just don't know what to do with you. You're 34 years old, you're no longer a child anymore, no longer 30. you need to start pulling your weight otherwise I'm sending you back to Zanthe with Ahina in a weeks time when she leaves." My mother finished. I felt like kicking something, she knew I hated Ahina, I didn't want to leave her by herself having to try and make a living on Tiaanamat without any support.

"Mama-" I tried, but she cut me off.

"No Riana, I don't want to hear it. You will personally write apologies to; Zeen tomorrow as to why your deliveries were late, to the Officials you ran away from and to the Vossarian you attacked. Do you understand?" She said. I nodded knowing that no other response would be acceptable. Ahina only looked too pleased with herself and I wanted hit the smug look off her face. I scowled as I got up and stomped off to my room hearing the door slide shut quietly behind me as the pressure seals engaged.

I threw myself on my bed and sobbed quietly to myself. I hated this, it was always the same, and I had even forgotten Aunt Ahina was coming today her annual cycle visit.

"Honestly Arehn, I don't even know why you put up with the girl, you would be better shipping her off the mines for a cycle and see how her attitude improves once she comes back, I tell you there is just something not natural with that girl." Ahina's nauseous voice reached me and I scowled in anger. As if she knew anything about me at all, I scoffed to myself.

Of course my mother wouldn't stand up to her, she was far to nice for that, even if I had told her a hundred times to not let Aunt Ahina into our lives. As my aunt only made Arehn feel like the worst mother, wife and Precious maker in the Seven Systems.

"Ahina, while I appreciate the thought, I won't do that, I need her hear and she doesn't want to go. If anything I think some time away from the asteroid and the day to day monotony of life here would help her gain some perspective of what she wants to do with her life. She never used to be this bad, there were moments, but she was always the sweetest girl. It's since her father left, after that she just shut me out…" Arehn's voice trailed off as I stopped listening.

I noticed the locket had begun to glow the angrier I became. I'd had enough of this unnatural thing so I ripped it off from around my neck and threw it hard at the nearest wall. I expected it to break, but instead a strange burst of red light exploded from it and I could hear a thousand different voices all speaking at once. I couldn't make anything out, but I was sure I heard my own voice amongst the entire hullabaloo. Then when it seemed as if it couldn't get any stranger, a holographic projection of a woman with blue hair, glowing red eyes and red lines that looked like strange exotic circles, that ran the length of her arms, sides of her neck and beside her eyes, appeared.

It took me but a moment to gasp in surprise, as when I looked close,r she was identical to me save the red eyes and red lines.

"Who are you?" I breathed out in a whisper. Strangely enough she answered me.

"I am you, or will be you, or have been you."

"What! That's not possible." I stated. She only smiled in an enigmatic way as red energy came off her.

She raised her arms in a placating manner.

"It is difficult to explain let alone grasp if you have not experienced it. I am I supposed what you would call a future version of yourself. Only a possibility, yet I am also a fact a fixed point in time that has and must always continue to exist. Right now if I remember correctly, you are scared, overwhelmed. Many strange things have happened to you this day and they will only get stranger." She explained. With each word I felt myself get ready to explode.

"You have NO idea what sort of day I've had and this stupid locket isn't helping! What are you, you can't be me. I felt the Preciousness imprint of this object and its thousands of years old. It can't be mine because I have never encountered it before and its energy is not mine." I shouted. She only laughed an infuriatingly frustrating manner.

"I have/had forgotten what I used to be like. I don't mean to try and imply you are stupid; it is that you simply have to live it to understand it. Time is not a linear constant it moves as it wishes, always from one end to the other but not necessarily in a straight line or as we want it too. Life is like that too. We have to simply go with the flow, live and exist in every moment until there is not more time left. Birth. Life. Death. Over and over." She sighed fondly remembering something from long ago told to her.

"I still don't understand, what has time got to do with it?" I asked confusedly.

She seem to draw herself together as her voice took on an unearthly tone, almost divine in its essence.

"I will speak now the words, that were once spoken to me and will one day be spoken by you. Long ago before the birth of the universe it was preordained that a series of events would come to pass that would change the universe and how it works to its fundamental level. These events are unto themselves are a time paradox that; will, are and have always happened and shall always for all occur.

Within that locket lies a secret so great that if it was ever known it could shatter time itself, but be warned once discovered, it can never be unknown and you can never return or take it back.

Riana'Cekina Tahlay today is the day you die and begin anew. Very soon a light will surround you and you will find yourself in another time and place. A journey lies ahead that will redefine everything you love and believe to be true.

Know this, all is not lost, a man awaits; the greatest and most terrible man you will ever meet and together you will destroy the stars and watch them be reborn again, all of Time your kingdom and domain.

All shall come to fear you and all shall come to love you. I offer one piece of advice, do not under any circumstances ever take off the locket or open it unless under the direst of situations. Farewell beloved self and goodluck." With that she faded into nothing and all was silent again.

I felt as though someone had kicked me in the head. Maybe I was becoming _tooktin_ or maybe I had finally cracked. But anything other than what I had been told made sense for what just happened. Such power in her words, such terrible predictions. I didn't want that, I didn't want any of that at all.

I hesitantly picked up the locket and glanced at it anyway, cautiously trying to pry it open, it was glued shut. I shrugged rubbing my temples in exhaustion, I was officially crazy. Placing the locket around my neck I shrugged it off as too much stress and headed for my bed. As I laid down, I wondered if any of what she said was true and truthfully did I want any of that? I suppose it was a question for another day.

As I closed my eyes I didn't noticed the blinding red light surround me and transport me across time and space to a beginning I could not ever have hoped to dream of.

Next chapter: **The Next Doctor: Doctor Who?**

 **Akheet Terms**

 **Poshtak** \- Akheet for high and mighty or up themselves.

 **Tek tek** \- Rude term to refer to one as basically a child or of immature stature.

 **Punkal** \- A hybrid term meaning fool/punk.

 **Tooktin** \- Strange or crazy person of low caste.

 **Zeem'al** \- Akheet term for divine trouble or literally 'trouble worth the gods'.

 **Shahk** \- telekinetically stun.

 **Dwinni** \- Skinny/small/childlike.

 **Eki nai-** status quo or at least the equivalent term.


	2. The Next Doctor- Doctor Who?

**AN/ Hi again, it seems I'm back. 2 Chapters in 2 Days. The muse just really keep em coming. I was reading over my last chapter and I seem to have forgotten the line breaks. Apparently they didn't transfer over properly, also I was reading over it and saw heaps of errors. Gah! I feel terrible now, you would think as English is my native language I would be able to spell properly, but apparently not :D I will make sure I reedit the previous chapter as some stage so it makes for easier reading.**

 **Also I forgot to mention how to say Riana's name. Her full name is Riana'Cekina Tahlay. (as you probably guessed it's a bit unusal because she's an alien) So as I am Australian I tend to pronounce my words a bit differently, so I will do my best to translate the sound over.**

 **Riana (Ree-ah-na) Cekina (Se-kih-nah) Tahlay (Taa-lay)**

 **I'm not sure when I will post next but I will try and keep up a steady pace while my muse is still around. Thanks so much for all those people who read my last chapter. And without further ado, here's chapter 2.**

 **jd009**

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 **Chapter 2: The Next Doctor- Doctor Who?**

A soft humming sound surrounded me; I was floating amongst the endless stars of the Universe. Perfectly at ease, nothing could in that moment tear me from this eternal feeling of bliss. The perfect moment before a dream becomes reality and the real world beckons.

Nothing, except the startling motion of finding myself knocked out of bed, onto the floor. I was disoriented and dazed as it took me a few moments to gather my wits about me. First I noticed that whatever had caused me to fall out of bed was the swaying motion of the room around me. The second was the fact that I was uninjured only slightly bruised on my behind and the third and most important fact was that I was in fact no longer in my own bedroom.

The room I found myself in was similar to my bedroom, if one person had tried to imitate it. It had a similar double bed with its navy blue star covered doona and my Galaxy 4 comforter. However four posts extended from each end into a canopy above the bed. Soft white curtains fell down on each side creating a partitioned off area. I had fallen down through one of them and currently resided on the carpeted floor of the room. The carpet was soft to the touch and well worn, a homely cream colour that matched the walls of the room.

The room was much bigger than mine with a sitting area, study and a…fireplace? Who actually had something so old fashioned? Several exotic species of flora grew about the place many of them in full bloom. There were several bookshelves scattered about, with various collections of reading materials in all sorts of languages.

What did stop me though was that many of my familiar possessions littered the room. My favourite stuffed plushie doll I'd had since I was a small child of 5. My father's old time keeper, that used to sit in his study that I stole and never returned. Many of my mother's tools she used for imprinting Preciousness onto items. They lay to rest on a workbench, that looked like who ever lived here was in the middle of imprinting and repairing to great value. Even all the collector's editions of Galaxy 4 streamavids, stacked neatly on a shelf next to a SV that rested in front of a well worn couch.

Exploring further revealed two door ways that lead off to a bathroom and a wardrobe. The bathroom contained the most high-tech amenities that I had ever seen; I spied a pair of men's sock lying about, two teeth cleaners in a container, on the counter next to the water dispenser. A strange long article of clothing that looked like it tied around one's neck, hung from the cleaning unit in the far side of the room. Various women's articles were strewn about as if the occupants had been in a rush. I shrugged, it was not for me to wonder about, and I had more important things to be doing, such as figuring out how I had ended up here, wherever here was.

The other door lead to the largest walk in wardrobe I had ever seen. It had articles of every conceivable design of clothing imaginable. Although much of it was familiar to me as it ran along some of my own taste. Shoes lined the far wall and on the other side in a small corner were many pairs of the same brown and blue suits. I frowned at this and again questioned the occupants taste in clothing choice. I walked out of the wardrobe, and now I thought of it was much larger than its immediate size seemed to suggest.

Wondering just what exactly I ended up into, I proceeded to try and find an exit from the unnervingly accurate room. Spying a door on the far side I managed to open it without any trouble and was startled when I spied a name plate on the door. The door was a dark blue with red outlines and was covered in stars and galaxies. The nameplate on it read simply; RIANA. I ran my hand over the raised lettering of the door and shuddered trying to ignore the unnatural feeling of a bad omen. How could this room have my name on it? How could so many of my personal possessions occupy its depths? Things I had not even seen for decades since I was small child or before my father left. I backed away slowly, trying to get away from the eerie feeling that had taken up residence in my heart. It wasn't possible, whatever possible was, it was the complete opposite of it.

Suddenly a burning feeling around my neck, caused me to realise the locket I was still wearing was glowing a soft red from the two gems upon it. I picked it up to feel it pulsing slightly and was startled when a man's voice burst forth from it.

"Yes, this is your room. Look I can't explain everything now, too complicated could mess up the whole of space time etc… but what you need to know is that you are completely safe, everything in this room was placed by you. It was given to you by the TARDIS when you first started to travel with us. She's good at things like that…sort of gets inside your head…anyway, what, what's wrong? What do you mean I've said this all before?" the man's voice trailed off as the locket stopped pulsing and the red glow left it until it was an ordinary looking piece of jewellery.

"What in the Seven Systems was that?" I muttered to myself.

The strange events of last night came to me as if half remembered in a dream, the women who had looked identical to me, her warnings and her strange prophecies.

… _Very soon a light will surround you and you will find yourself in another time and place…_

… _A man awaits; the greatest and most terrible man you will ever meet and together you will destroy the stars and watch them be reborn again, all of time your kingdom and domain…_

Was what happened real? Had it really occurred that I had travelled in time? Such a thought was inconceivable let alone impossible without some mode of transport. The vessel I was in, for I could only conclude it was some sort of space transport shook again and I wobbled where I stood trying not to lose my balance.

I had to find a way out, preferably without being knocked all over the place, or dying, that was a good thought too. I started off down a corridor making random decisions to turn right or left down the various corridors. I had a strange sense of being guided, so I followed it without question, hoping only to find someone to help me.

Eventually I stumbled across a large circular room, what I could only assume was the bridge of the ship as various controls could be seen around the centre column. It looked strange with many coral themed pillars lining the room. I could hear a masculine voice talking from the other side of the room and see a tall dark haired man, whom I assumed was my captor. I walked forward attempting to be quiet as I spied what looked like an exit door. Maybe I could make a mad dash for it and leave before the strange alien man noticed me.

Before I could even attempt it, the figure turned and looked straight as me. He looked as surprised to see me as I looked to see him. Ok maybe not my captor, but still I could never be too careful. Not caring I rushed towards the door, but the man ran after me yelling for me to stop.

I didn't listen and pried the doors apart to be met with the emptiness of space. I gasped as I almost fell out of the doors, taking in the endlessness of space around me. Strong arms restrained me and stopped me from tumbling out of the ship. In my panic I only had time to just register that the doors were open and I was breathing in space, before I was pulled back onto solid ground and the doors were unceremoniously shut. I sat on the ground panting trying to catch my breath from the fright I had just had.

The alien turned around as he lent against the doors also out of breath, although more in a relieved manner than from too much running.

"What do you think you were doing? The Tardis is in mid flight and you could have died if you had left the air shell." He demanded in an astounded voice, as though I had just told him Grandfather was knocking on his door.

"Hmph, Riana answer me? Surely I'm not that irritating to be around that you had to just run straight out the doors. I know I've told you before about waiting till I've landed the Old Girl before running into danger. Mind, not that you ever particularly listen to what I have to say-" He trailed off as he noticed my terrified expression on my face and the fact I had slowly been backing away from him. I hadn't really had the chance to observe the alien from before, but he was tall, and extremely skinny for a male. He looked like a Zell only his short hair was a dark brown and was gelled in a messy style at the front. He had dark brown soulful eyes that hid more than his youthful appearance suggested. His face was handsomely proportioned with a hint of stubble on his chin visible. However his ears were rounded unlike my pointed ones. He wore a brown pinstriped suit, the same one I had spied in the wardrobe from earlier and alien looking shoes with pieces of string wound through them. He had on a long brown overcoat that trailed to the ground as he slowly knelt down to approach me.

"Hey, what's wrong, it's ok you're not in danger anymore now Riana. I'm sorry for yelling at you. You just scared me, I don't ever want to see something like that again where I was afraid you were going to die. You don't know how much… what I mean to say is, how difficult it would be if you were… what's wrong?" he trailed off when he realised I wasn't replying.

How did this alien know my name and why was he looking at me so intently as though my eyes held the answer to the universe. He seemed to realise whatever he was looking for wasn't there, as the intensity vanished to be replaced with genuine concern and confusion.

"Riana, do you know where you are?" he asked with a deliberate forcedness to his voice.

"W-where am I and who are you?" I stammered out, kicking myself for how my voice trembled. His eyes seemed sad for a moment, before whatever emotion there had been was hidden. He seemed to draw in a deep breath before he slowly reached out a hand for me to take. I hesitated as I still didn't know who this crazy man was, but eventually allowed him to pull me up.

He really was tall at least over 6 feet and I was no short person, standing at around 5'8, I still only came up to just under his chin. He stepped away from me slightly giving me a bit of room; for which I was grateful for.

"Did you kidnap me?" I asked again determined to not show how scared and confused I was before him. A small smile appeared on his face at the mention of him being a possible kidnapper.

"No no, I assure you I didn't kidnap you Riana. You're on the Tardis, T-A-R-D-I-S, Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. Long name I know and my name is the Doctor. This is my ship, well time machine if you want to be really picky." He said. I still didn't understand what was so funny about this situation. Where was my mother and Aunt Ahina?

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that this is a time machine? And Doctor who, exactly?" I demanded of the strange man, I was seriously beginning to suspect he was indeed completely mad, _tookihal_ sort of mad. Rather than making the alien become defensive or angry at me questioning his story, this "Doctor" only laughed. A full out belly laugh, completely in my opinion inappropriate for the situation. He spun around and seemed to clap his hands in disbelief at something I had said.

"I knew it!" he crowed, "I always knew that you lied when you said you never asked that, ha! I win, she now owes me a strip- ah never mind" he trailed off awkwardly. Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, I didn't know who she was but I could only begin to guess exactly who owed him a strip of something, of which I didn't want to even think about.

"Not exactly helping is it; tell you what lets start over. Never tried this before, maybe this time it'll work. Hi, I'm the Doctor and before you ask just the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord and this is my time machine and space ship, the Tardis." As he said this he eagerly held out his hand for mine to shake, an odd gesture if ever I had seen one. Still I reluctantly held out my hand and shook his larger one.

"I'm not sure I really believe you, time travel isn't possible, but I seem to be having a bit of stressful day, so for the sake of the argument and to stop me feeling like I'm going completely _kanwaii,_ my name is Riana Tahlay. Although somehow you seem to know that" I muttered. I still thought I was in shock, but the Doctor simply held my hand tightly before bringing it to his lips and pressing his mouth to it chastely. The action startled me and had me tearing my hand out of his grasp.

"My apologies. But I want to reassure you Riana, you aren't mad; not even close. Something has happened to you that started yesterday afternoon for you didn't it? It started with a locket, which now hangs around your neck." As he said this, my hands flew to my chest where the locket was positioned.

"H-how do you know any of this, I haven't told anyone?" I begged even more confused than before.

"I know because you told me, or you will do one day in the future, well your future. The truth is that it is complicated, you haven't met me yet but I have already known you for many years. You see when you found that locket you set into motion a series of events that changed your life forever. Our timelines are linked. To simply state it, we don't meet in the right order. My future is your past and my past your future. You travel to different points in my timeline both into the past and the future. We travel through time and space together seeing the universe." The Doctor said with a serious tone of voice. His voice was hypnotic in quality and I found myself listening intently to it.

As soon as he finished speaking I shook my head trying to gather my thoughts.

"Prove it." I demanded of him. He seemed to expect something of this line so he sighed deeply before cautiously approaching me.

"I can't tell you everything" he said, "but there is one thing I could say that would prove to you I am someone you can trust and that I am telling the truth. But I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Riana, but it's the only way." With that he leaned forward and whispered something in my ear. I heard the words, heard every painful rush of air into my ear, and relived every terrible thing I had tried to lock deep into my subconscious mind. When he pulled away I fled from him, backing away as if I had been burned. Shuddering sobs ripped from my throat and I hit the edge of the console in the centre of the room, gasping as I sank to the floor hugging my knees to my chest.

All I could think was; how? How did he know that terrible secret, something that I had never told anyone before, would never tell anyone, not even my own mother. He let me cry and sob to myself as I tried to reorder my mind, I could feel the locket around my neck pulsing and burning in time to my bipolar emotions. A gentle arm brought me into his secure embrace and for the first time since I had been a child of 13, I willingly let someone else hold me as I cried my heart out.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there, mixed in our strange embrace, with a man who claimed to know me completely, when I knew nothing of him. Eventually my sobs subsided and I reluctantly pulled away from him. The Doctor said nothing only reaching into one of his pockets and offering me a cloth to dry my tears with. I wiped my eyes and got rid of- I'm sad to say- the snot as well. I was sure I wasn't a pretty sight, not that he would care I'm sure, or that I was vain enough to be concerned particularly.

Still I had to make some effort to at least recognise his support, as strange as it was.

"Ah, thank you, I mean, well I am not thanking you for saying what you did, but for letting me cry all over you. Wait no, that didn't come out right, I meant to say thanks for putting up with my snot and tears and just generally accusing you of being a kidnapper, which apparently you're not. Oh wow I'm babbling, I really need to stop now…" I trailed off awkwardly as I tried to make clear what I was saying. The Doctor only smiled gently and stood, while offering me a hand up again. This time I didn't hesitate to take it.

He pulled me up as though I weighed nothing.

"Never be sorry for letting me be there for you. I am only returning the many numerous times you have done the same for me over the years, or will do one day. I understand you have a lot of questions, but you have to know that I can't answer all of them. It's part of the rules that you created when we first met. Spoilers you call them. And a more annoying word if ever I've heard one." He grinned with a slight maniacal glint in his eye. "Oh the things we will do Riana, just you wait and see".

"Now first things first, rules. Because I'm sorry Riana, but nothing is ever going to be easy from now on. You will continue to jump around my timeline, as such you will encounter versions of me that will have experienced things that I yet haven't; you can't under any circumstances reveal what happens in my future to me Riana, no matter how many times I might beg, plead or threaten. Promise me that." He demanded. I nodded automatically like a small child when my mother used that tone of voice on me. The Doctor looked relieved and quickly resumed talking.

"Secondly and this is very important; you must never, I repeat never take that locket off or open it. That locket is the key to many things and will save your life at times, it's also your link to me. Repeat that back to me, so I know you understand, it's vital." I did so and finally the tension which I had only just noticed, eased from his shoulders and he relaxed, a more playful manner entered his eyes.

"Right, I think that's enough of the really serious stuff. I know just what would cheer you up Riana'Cekila Tahlay, girl who dreams of the stars. We're in a time machine, anywhere or anywhen in the entire universe, where do you wanna start?" His attitude was infectious and I couldn't help but smile slightly at this insane man who apparently owned a time machine that redefined the laws of physics.

"You said before that I travel with you, do we really visit other planets?" I asked cautiously, trying not to let hope build up in my heart. My entire life I had dreamed of visiting the stars, ever since I had sat in my father's lap as he made the universe come alive with his voice and his tales of mystery and adventure. I could hardly fathom how this could become my life, with this strange man.

… _The greatest and most terrible man you will ever meet…_

The words of the strange woman in the locket floated through my mind warning me to be careful in to easily trusting this fantastical alien.

"Anywhere or anywhen, you name it we'll go there, or we have been. I promise you Riana, you can trust me, always." He smiled reassuringly at me as he held out his hand for me to take. I did so as he slowly drew me towards the console with the strange buttons and levers on it.

"Ok, I know just where to go, a nice easy planet and time to begin with for your first trip." With that last statement he pushed a few buttons and pulled a leaver. A strange exotic wheezing noise filled the air, as the central column started to go up and down and the entire ship shook. "Allons-y!" he shouted as he hung on tight a completely mad look on his face. I could only scream in terror.

* * *

The rocking motion stopped soon enough and before long I realised I was still in one piece, much to my eternal joy. The Doctor danced around the Tardis's console like a madman, of which no doubt I'm sure he was. He ran over to the doors where I had almost fallen to my death from before. He turned to meet my nervous gaze with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Behind this door lies a completely different time and place, from wherever you have been before. Step out and you will be on a different planet." With that he flung the door open and peeked outside a grand smile on his face. I felt a chilly breeze enter the room and shivered slightly. I slowly approached the entrance and walked out after the Doctor. He was further ahead of me, in what I could only describe as an alleyway. But it was so alien.

I could smell a thousand different scents, people and animals and vegetation and something delicious too, wafting on the breeze. Above me was a cloudy blue and white sky, an alien sky, the first one I had ever seen. On the ground below my feet, was a strange white powdery substance that was cold and wet to the touch.

"What is this?" I asked out loud in wonder.

"That's condensed water vapour frozen because of the cold temperatures. Locally it is more commonly known as snow. Great to sled in and ski, mind you don't attempt to do it in a blizzard or running away from Ood, not fun. Anyway what do you think?" He said in one long sentence, which made me have to really stop and concentrate on what he had just said. I smiled genuinely at him.

"I think this is the most fantastic and wondrous thing I have ever seen, or anyone has ever done for me, so thank you."

"Anytime Riana. Now I reckon we should go explore, I hear a nice market place over that way and I'm sure it'll be a blast. Oh before I forget undo your hair" he said. I frowned in confusion, why exactly did he want me to undo my hair for? The Doctor seemed to sense my hesitation and reluctance, so explained to me his purpose.

"We are on a planet called Earth, lovely place depending upon the season and date, anyway, the local species is known as Humans and they tend to be a bit…well cautious with dealing with aliens, so it would be better if you covered you ears so they're less likely to know you are one. Get me?" he stated. I harrumphed in slight annoyance before complying with his wishes. The cold hair blew my hair slightly; the long blue strands, cerulean in colour brushed my waist. The Doctor reached up and adjusted a few strands slightly. I shivered from his touch, although I wasn't sure if it was because I found it pleasant, or the fact I did and didn't want to admit it.

"There much better. Now you're a Zell so the cold shouldn't bother you too much, however not sure about your outfit. Might, maybe cause a riot. Not sure, guess we'll see. We won't be staying for too long, so off we go" he said as he grabbed my hand in his and pulled me along behind him.

The market place was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was filled to the brim with people of all ages and genders going about their business. They wore strange clothing, with women wearing elaborate gowns and the men wearing pants and strange coats with extended tails on the ends of them.

I thought the Doctor and I stood out like a _Kormpi_ snake in a _Rattledin's_ den. Him with his strange brown coat and suit and I with my bright blue hair and blue short sleeved dress. Nobody seemed to pay us particular attention other than for one man in a uniform to wish us a pleasant afternoon.

A group was singing across the street and another man was selling his wares, something called "Hot Chestnuts". The Doctor walked up to a young human boy with a dirty face and asked him the day.

The boy promptly responded "Christmas Eve sir."

The Doctor nodded as if he understood what the child had said. I didn't though and looked at the Doctor curiously. He smiled slightly before explaining that it was a pagan winter festival that Humans celebrated as a religious celebration. I guess it was something like the Festival of Offerings back on Akhaten.

"What year?" the Doctor asked again. The boy simply looked at the both of us as though we had grown a second head.

"You thick or something?" he asked us instead. I took that to mean he thought us stupid. Or at least the Doctor's annoyed response confirmed it.

"Oi. Just answer the question." He said. I had to laugh at that. The boy promptly replied in a proud voice "The Year of Our Lord 1851, sir."

The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement and turned away as though he was done with the conversation, seemingly dismissing the boy.

"Right, nice year, bit dull." He muttered to himself. I wondered exactly what he meant by that and was just about to ask him when a loud women's cry reached my ears.

"Doctor! Doctor!"

The Doctor took one look at me and grabbed my hand again; something I was beginning to suspect was a habit as much as measure to stop me getting lost. He grinned in pure delight as the distressed cry. Turning to me he said; "Now we're talking Riana, this is where it gets exciting." The cry of 'Doctor' sounded once more and the Doctor seemed to delight in responding to it.

"Who, me?" before he grabbed my hand and sprinting towards the voice. I could only begin to imagine what sort of trouble we were going to get ourselves into.

* * *

We ran through the market place dodging the city goers, and avoiding the strange four legged animals. We rounded a corner and came into a deserted street between many old wooden buildings. The 'snow' covered the ground and made running slightly difficult. The Doctor came to a halt in front a dark skinned woman, who had been yelling for him. She stood before a pair of rattling metal doors, with an obviously angry something behind them. I was sure going towards the doors was a bad idea, but the Doctor seemed to think otherwise. He grasped the women's shoulders and pulled her behind him.

"Don't worry, don't worry. Stand back. What have we got here?" he stated a sick sort of delight in his tone. I cried out when a snarling noise came from behind the doors, backing away from the obvious danger. The Doctor had no such qualms about it though and turned to the women slightly.

"Ooh, okay I've got this. Whatever's behind that door, I think you should get out of here" the Doctor stated calmly. I was in complete agreement with this statement and was just about to take off with the women, when she completely ignored the both of us and called out 'Doctor!' again. This seemed to confuse the Doctor as he said in some confusion.

"No, I'm standing right here. Hello."

"Don't be so stupid, who are you?" the women asked in disbelief. I was still more concerned with the ominous banging coming from behind the doors. I tugged on the Doctor's jacket and tried to pull him away.

"I really think this would be a great time to have this conversation elsewhere, instead of in front of something that is definitely trying to kill us!" I shouted at the both of them. The Doctor just ignored me though in favour of trying to be the hero. I hissed with irritation. So much for an easy first time trip. Was nothing ever straight and normal with this man?

"I'm The Doctor." He said.

"Doctor who?" she asked.

"Just the Doctor." He stated simply.

"Well, there can't be two of ya!" she said in exasperation. I too wondered exactly was going on here. Just at that moment another man came running around the corner. He was dressed in a yellow jacket, red waist coat and black pants. His hair was covered in snow and he half appeared to be out of breath. The Doctor turned in confusion at the new comer and turned to me to give me a look. I shrugged. I had no idea in all the Seven Worlds, what was going on.

The dark skinned women sighed in relief before demanding with irritation to know where the other man had been.

"Don't worry. Stand back. What have we got here, then?" the strange man said in curiosity. He seemed to completely glance over both the Doctor and me, in favour of the rattling doors.

"Hold on, hold on. Who are you?" The Doctor asked in complete bewilderment. The man turned to the both of us and in a proud straight to the point tone proclaimed; "I'm the Doctor. Simply the Doctor. The one, the only and the best. Rosita, give me the sonic screwdriver." With that the dark skinned woman, evidently named Rosita pushed me aside and handed the other 'Doctor' something too quick for me to glance at.

"What?" my Doctor stated.

At the same time the other Doctor turned back to face the door. "Now quick, back to the TARDIS!" he shouted to Rosita. Rosita backed away quickly. The other Doctor turned to me. "I should also think this is no place for a lady, you too my dear before either of you are hurt." He said as if not believing I would disobey.

I snorted. "Not likely." I muttered under my breath. Staying put exactly where I was. I might not want to be killed by a strange creature, but no way was a running away like a _zinni._ Especially away from the one man who apparently had all the answers I needed.

"Stand back sir, ma'am. This is a job for a Time Lord" The other Doctor stated.

"Job for a what lord?" my Doctor said in disbelief. I too was becoming more confused, didn't the Doctor state before that he was a Time Lord. Apparently this other Doctor was of the same race and also had the same name. But then again they WERE aliens.

At that moment both 'Time Lords were distracted by the doors bursting open to reveal a shaggy creature with a strange looking mask of bronze, maybe copper where its face should be.

"Oh, that's different." My Doctor stated. He reached into his pocket at the same time as the other Doctor said "Oh that's new" before also pulling a device from his own pockets. Both men pointed their devices at the creature and said; "Allons-y!"

By this point I was beyond confused. What exactly was this creature and what exactly could the Doctors' do with their so called devices, when the creature was coming right at us.

With out really thinking about it, I telekinetically threw up a field and created a shield around us. The other Doctor had stepped in front of my Doctor and was exclaiming how he had been hunting the creature for weeks. When the blue shimmering field appeared, both he and Rosita cried out in surprise. The creature tried to run at us but instead rebounded off. When it couldn't penetrate the shield it jumped onto a nearby building, at least two stories higher than the ground.

"Telekinetic barrier, brilliant Riana!" my Doctor cried out in joy. I tried not to let that distract me from the situation at hand. "Some sort of cybernetic conversion, like they took the brain of a cat, or a dog." The Doctor was mumbling to himself. For one thing I had no idea what a cat or dog was. I resided myself to asking later.

Meanwhile, the other Doctor had run over to the bottom of the building where the creature was scaling the side. He turned to Rosita in expectation.

"Well, talking's all very well." He stated to the Doctor before calling out "Rosita." The said girl appeared with an armful of rope. "I'm ready." She stated passing the rope to the other Doctor. He began to swing the rope like a lasso over his head before stating "Watch and learn'". He released the rope and it circled the cyber creature perfectly. "Excellent. Now then, let's pull this timorous beastie down to earth."

Unfortunately that's when the cyber creature chose to begin running up the wall pulling the other Doctor off his feet up behind it.

"Or not" my Doctor stated with a sort of wry amusement.

"I might be in a little bit of trouble." The other Doctor stated as he was left hanging from a rope a metre off the ground. My Doctor ran forward and grabbed the rope as well.

"Nothing changes. I've got you." He shouted, however much to my horror and slight amusement, he too was pulled off his feet up the building. I was in agreement when Rosita standing besides me shouted up at the both of them "You IDIOTS!"

"Doctor, are you mad?" I yelled.

"Possibly." My Doctor replied. I didn't hear exactly what the Doctors' were saying to each other as they were pulled through a window after the cyber creature, disappearing from view. Rosita backed up and was muttering to herself under her breath.

"It's always the same with 'im. Can't ever do nothin' right without my help. Now there are two of them." She turned around and spied an axe, a resigned expression entered her face. I was busy looking around for a way up. I spied a set of stairs going around the opposite side of the building.

"This way, there are stairs going up into the building we can cut them off there." I said as I took off running, with Rosita right behind me.

"I take it you're the sensible one?" Rosita asked me as we ran.

"Don't know, not exactly having a normal sort of day." I replied. I'm not sure the woman really knew what to make of that statement, as we had reached the stairs and were concentrating on not tripping over our skirts. By the time we reached the warehouse at the top both Doctor's were being dragged across the floor on their behinds.

I watched at the cyber creature exited the building through another window. At this rate it would take both _punkal's_ with it to their deaths. I quickly created another telekinetic field around the creature and tried to slow its rate of movement. It seemed to work as the Doctor's slowed down enough for Rosita to raise the axe and chop the rope in half. Both Doctor's toppled over from the loss of momentum and started to groan in pain. My doctor lying on his stomach as he tried to regain his bearings.

They both slowly got off the ground stretching their bruised and battered limbs, before the other Doctor began to laugh and the Doctor joined in. I followed Rosita, after releasing the telekinetic hold on the creature, up to where the Doctor's were hugging each other in sickening delight. Honestly was there not a brain cell left between the two of them. Men!

Rosita dropped the axe in annoyance and looked on bewildered by their mad behaviour; I crossed my arms in frustration, if it hadn't been for the both of us, the two kanwaii males would have died- Doctor or no Doctor.

"You can thank us at any time." I stated but the two men were still laughing. Rosita simply turned and began walk away from the two of them.

"I wouldn't bother, those two nut jobs will be at it for a while." She said off handily.

I was beyond over this _zeem'al_ of a day.

* * *

We exited the warehouse down the flight of stairs Rosita and I had run up, in our mad dash to save our companions. The two Doctor's were still laughing and I could tell Rosita was fed up with both of them. I understood laughing if you had survived a dangerous situation. Relieved laughter they called it, but to carry on laughing for a full five minutes was a bit excessive in my book.

"Well I'm glad you think it's so funny. You're mad. Both of you. You could've got killed." She finally blew up angrily.

"I am of a second mind to agree with that. Doctor honestly you promised me a trip with no trouble. If Rosita hadn't cut the rope and I, stopped the creature, both of you would be dead!" I exclaimed in a loud voice. The Doctor's stopped laughing but there were still smiles on their faces.

"But, evidently, we did not. Oh, I should introduce Rosita. My faithful companion, always telling me off." The other Doctor stated as though it was a last minute thought. I felt a tad annoyed for the way the girl was being treated. She didn't seem to mind though as she made no reply to his comment. The other Doctor came to place his hand on her shoulders and he rubbed his sore backside with the other one. My Doctor turned and grinned in reply.

"Well, they do, don't they? Rosita? Good name. Hello, Rosita." He said as he acknowledged her. He turned to me and placed his hands on both of my shoulders so I was almost pressed again his chest. "I suppose I should introduce my own companion, of a sort, the lovely Riana Tahlay. Keeps me on my toes this one, never lets me forget my place either." He laughed as he said it and I couldn't help but stare at him in confusion. Keeping him on his toes? I was sure he had gotten it the wrong way around. Also the closeness of his body to mind bothered me. The other Doctor smiled at me in return and bowed slightly.

"Ma'am, a pleasure to meet you, and also thankyou for saving my life." I was genuinely surprised that he had thanked me. I smiled slightly, flattered by his response. The Doctor's hands tightened slightly on my shoulders.

"Ow!" I said causing the Doctor to release me and take a step back. He grimaced slightly at my irritated expression. "Sorry" he muttered.

I frowned, but thought better of confronting him on his weird behaviour. He probably didn't mean it and also what was with this 'companion' business?

Rosita looked at the Doctor strangely.

"Huh? Now I'll have to go and dismantle the traps. All that for nothing. And we've only got 20 minutes till the funeral, don't forget." With that she walked away and replied over her shoulder in an off handed manner; "Then back to the TARDIS, right?" There was that strange word again, the Doctor's ship, which we had only just come from not long ago, this day, just kept getting weirder and weirder.

"Funeral?" my Doctor asked.

"Oh, long story. Not my own, not yet. Oooh, I'm not as young as I was." He grunted as he bent over to stretch his legs. The Doctor seemed greatly amused at the other Doctor's behaviour, as if there was some joke I had missed in all the excitement.

"Well, not as young as you were when you were me." My Doctor replied. I squinted my eyes in confusion, when he was my Doctor? But how could the other Doctor be my Doctor? They weren't even the same man. I checked again looking at each of them closely. Definitely not the same man at all, they looked nothing alike.

"When I was who?" The other Doctor asked, just as confused as I. The Doctor's face fell as if he had just been told the worst news.

You really don't recognise me? What about Riana, you must know her, we always know her." He asked hesitantly. I only stared between the both of them, feeling like a sort of third wheel. I still didn't grasp exactly what the Doctor was trying to imply.

"Not at all. As for your lovely companion, with her…frankly unusual coloured hair would be sure to remember such a face." The other Doctor stated.

"But you're The Doctor. The next Doctor. Or the next-but-one. A future Doctor anyway. No, no, don't tell me how it happened. Although... I hope I don't just trip over a brick, that'd be embarrassing. Then again, painless. Worse ways to go, depends on the brick." My Doctor ranted, completely not making any sense.

"Doctor, what exactly are you rambling on about? What do you mean tripping over a brick? You're talking like your about to die!" I said exasperated with the silly alien. He turned to me as if only just remembering something.

"Right sorry, forgot this is the first time you meeting me. Should probably really explain the whole regeneration thing later." He said quickly. _Regeneration thing?_ What was this man on?

"You're gabbling, sir. Now, might I ask, who are you, exactly?" the other Doctor asked.

"No, I'm, uh... I'm just Smith. John Smith. But I've heard all about you, Doctor. Bit of a legend, if I say so myself. Oh and you have already been introduced to Riana, Riana Tahlay." The Doctor; who apparently did have a first name of John and a last name of Smith replied.

"Modesty forbids me to agree with you, sir. But yes. Yes, I am." The other Doctor replied with slight pride.

"A legend with certain memories missing. Am I right?" Doctor Smith asked a slight ominous tone in his voice. I became quiet, intent on listening to the conversation taking place before me. Doctor Smith seemed to be giving away a lot of information about himself and the other Doctor too. Besides I had gotten to the point where I wasn't sure what to expect anymore. I just wanted to go home.

"How do you know that?" The other Doctor asked, surprise colouring his tone.

"You've forgotten me." Doctor Smith replied with finality to his words. I wondered what was so important about the other Doctor not remembering Doctor Smith. Also did that mean the other Doctor was suffering from amnesia?

"Great swathes of my life have been stolen away. When I turn my mind to the past, there's nothing. All I see is darkness and an image of a woman in my mind surrounded by fire." The other Doctor replied, great sadness behind his words.

"Going how far back?" I asked sympathy tinging my tone.

"Since the Cybermen. Masters of that hellish wall-scuttler and old enemies of mine, now at work in London town. You won't believe this, Mr Smith, Miss Tahlay, but they are creatures from another world." The other Doctor's voice dropped a decibel to imply the seriousness of the situation.

 _Cybermen_? Why did that word seem familiar to me? But if it had anything to do with that cyber creature that had attacked us before, I wanted nothing to do with it. We should just leave. While I felt sorry for the man and the fact he had lost so much of his memories, why did it matter to us? I didn't need anymore complications in my life at the moment. It looked like Rosita and him had things handled well enough anyway.

"It's said they fell onto London, out of the sky in a blaze of light. And they found me. Something was taken. And something was lost. Something so precious to me. What was I like? In the past?" The other Doctor asked a raw sort of need to know on his face. He looked so lost and so sad.

"Really? Wow." Doctor Smith exclaimed, although I was not sure he was being truthful in his surprise. Probably because he was an alien as well. "I don't think I should say. Sorry. Got to be careful with memory loss. One wrong word..." he trailed off as he backed away slightly.

"It's strange, though. I talk of Cybermen from the stars and you don't blink, Mr Smith. Neither do you Miss Tahlay." The other Doctor said curiosity clouding his tone.

"Ah, don't blink, remember that? Whatever you do, don't blink? The blinking and the statues? Sally and the angels? No?" Doctor Smith said with excitement before he looked at the blank expressions on both our faces and sighed. "Time travel" he muttered. I guessed this was something I might experience in my future at one point, but didn't want to dwell on it or its implications.

"You're a very odd man. The pair of you." The other Doctor said in disbelief.

"Hmm, I still am. Something's wrong here." Doctor Smith said as he looked to be deep in thought. "What do you think Riana, any good ideas?" he said turning to me.

I looked at him in surprise that he was addressing me. Did he actually expect me to know? I was still reeling from finding myself on a different planet, let alone a different time. The scare of the cyber creature was still all too much present in my thoughts.

"I'm not sure what you mean Doctor Smith?" I said. Doctor Smith looked surprised. 'Doctor _Smith_ ' he mouthed to himself.

Suddenly the other Doctor perked up. "Oh, the funeral. The funeral's at two o'clock. It's been a pleasure, Mr Smith, Miss Tahlay. Don't breathe a word of it."

"Can't we come with you?" Doctor Smith asked. I pulled the back of his coat towards me replying promptly with "Absolutely not. We. Need. To. Talk."

However it was a moot point as the other Doctor simply dismissed the both of us. "It's far dangerous. Rest assured, I shall keep this city safe. Oh, and, er... merry Christmas, Mr Smith, Miss Tahlay." He quickly left through an archway into another street, leaving me alone with Doctor John Smith.

"Merry Christmas Doctor" Doctor Smith called out to him. He waited all of a second before he ran to follow him. I sighed resigning myself to tackling him if I had to, to get some answers about why he was so obsessed with this mysterious other Doctor.

I rolled my eyes "Why me?" I muttered before taking off after him.

* * *

Doctor Smith wasn't too much further ahead, so I caught up with him relatively quickly. He had led us back to a main street where a funeral possession of men dressed in black were following a carriage, pulled by four of the strange four legged creatures with plumes upon their heads. He stood silently watching the other Doctor and Rosita. Both of them were focussed intently on the procession to notice our presence. I pulled Doctor Smith's arm as I neared him drawing him to face me.

"We need to talk Doctor Smith. First of all I want to know why you're following him. He clearly stated he didn't want us involved and secondly what was all that back there? Why are you so interested in this man? Also why would you think he would know me? I have a million more questions, but I'm having a rough sort of day. I just want to go home back to my bed and my mum and my annoying horrible aunt. I didn't ask for trouble and saving people and mystery and stuff and what's more I don't even know you… yet I'm following you around like a lost _Ooski._ So tell me what we're doing here!" as I said the last sentence I almost shouted at him. Doctor Smith sighed before pulling back behind a pillar to avoid unnecessary attention being drawn to us.

He stood almost leaning over me, his eyes staring intently into mine and it was again I felt that strange tingling in my spine and the drumming in my temple. I hadn't really thought about it before, but this man was extremely attractive. I pushed that thought away almost as soon as it occurred, I was being ridiculous.

"Riana, I know this is all so confusing for you, but I promise I will explain. But you have to trust me. If there is one thing you should know about us, it's that we never walk away, never from those who need our help. We can't always save everyone, but we always try. I know your scared and confused and feeling things you can't explain, but I can't tell you any more, you just have to trust me." He pressed a kiss to my forehead in a reassuring manner before continuing to speak.

"Right now there is a man out there, who is lost and alone and confused. He's lost half his life and he's doing the best he can with what he's got. He knows something terrible is going to happen and he's trying to stop it, he just doesn't know how. The Cybermen he was speaking of, they are one of my oldest enemies. I've defeated them many times and lost so much to them and if they're here now in London, in this city nothing good is going to come of it. So hundreds maybe thousands of people are relying on us and that man is the key. So be brave, be magnificent, because I know you can be. Don't forget your kindness and pity; don't let your fear rule you. Let it fuel you and make you stronger. Because that man may very well be me."

With that last sentence I held my breath, flinching away from him. Who was this man and what did he mean to me that I would risk everything by telling him my deepest, darkest secret?

"Who are you?" I whispered in both awe and fear. He leaned away from me slightly, but the intensity of his gaze did not lessen.

"I'm the Doctor. Just the Doctor and you are my Riana, my beautiful Azure Queen. So I ask you, just trust me a little bit more and believe." He breathed. He stepped back and offered me his hand.

Did I want this, this time I had a choice, but something in his voice or maybe his eyes or perhaps his whole being called to me to believe his words. I wanted to believe. I wanted to trust. So when I found myself reaching out my hand to take his, my heart sang.

"Now first things first we need to follow that man and get to the bottom of this mystery of the murder of Reverend Fairchild. I think then we will have all the answers we need. Allons-y" he grinned madly as we ran off.

 **Next Chapter: The Next Doctor- The Worth of a Woman**

 **Akheet Word List**

 **Tookihal** \- Strange or crazy to the extreme, beyond what is considered normal.

 **Kanwaii** \- Insanely mad.

 **Zinni-** A timid looking animal native to Quanria, one of the Seven Worlds of Akhet. In this instance it literally means a coward.

 **Punkal** \- A hybrid term meaning fool/punk.

 **Ooski** \- The equivalent of a baby dog.

 **Zeem'al-** Akheet term for divine trouble or literally 'trouble worth the gods'

 **Kormpi –** A rodent like creature.

 **Rattledin-** A carnivorous reptile that is the natural enemy of the Kormpi. It makes a loud rattling noise when someone approaches it.


	3. The Next Doctor- The Worth of a Woman

**AN/ Hello again :) I am back with the next instalment of this series, with many more to come. I'm finding that editing as I go along actually helps to improve the quality of my writing, rather than having to read through it a million times to spell check everything. Saying that, if there are a few errors, please feel free to let me know and I will correct them.**

 **Don't have much more to say, as I am writing this very early in the morning to get it finished and uploaded. Also I noticed a mistake with my first chapter where I spelled Riana's Middle name as Cekila, it is meant to be Cekina. I hope I am getting her character across right. She is hard to get balance without making her too extreme. I want to portray the fact that unlike most Human companions, Riana is an alien, in every way. So she really doesn't understand many of the pop culture references the Doctor and other companions make at times. I kind of find her reactions amusing at times as she can be completely oblivious and look at things with fairly different eyes.**

 **Also- wow this authors note is becoming long- with regards to the Doctor and her romance it will be a gradual build, but she won't be oblivious to the signs. She will just mostly be in denial for a while. As she encounters different Doctor's she sort of works out their personality idiosyncrasies, so for example, 11 is much more awkward, 12 grumpy, 10 bipolar/sexy etc. and learns to relate to them accordingly.**

 **That's all for now, otherwise we'll be here to christmas.**

 **jd009**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The Next Doctor- The Worth of a Woman**

Doctor Smith, I mean just the Doctor (Grandfather there were too many Doctor's now), and I followed closely behind the other Doctor. As we walked I couldn't help but notice the many difference on this planet compared to Tiaanamat. Before all the running we had only briefly wandered into the market place, but it wasn't enough time to really look around. Even now we were in a rush to get to a place where apparently, a man had been murdered, or so the Doctor had told me. From what I could see these humans appeared rather primitive compared to the people of the Seven Worlds, however the Doctor did state we were in a different time, so maybe this was in the past for them. I was unsure exactly what we would find as their technology couldn't be anywhere near the level needed to accurately identify a suspect.

We eventually reached a house that was much grander than those surrounding it. Where the normal person who would not want to get caught breaking and entering would use a side or back entrance the Doctor simply walked up to the front door.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, trying to keep a look out for anyone coming towards us, but the Doctor instead pulled out a thin silver handled tool with a blue crystal like end. He pointed it at the door and it made a whirring noise before the lock clicked open of its own accord.

"Shh, stop being so obvious, come on." He whispered back as he went inside. I followed him with one last parting glance over my shoulder. I shut the door behind us and looked around to see an extensive front entrance. My low-heeled brown boots made soft clicking noises on the tiles as I walked. My floor length doubled layered skirt of my dress swished as I walked up to where the Doctor was determinedly striding forwards.

"What was that device you used to unlock the door?" I asked curiosity evident in my voice. He smirked as he turned towards me.

"Sonic screwdriver, rather nifty tool to have in any situation. Can do 101 different things and most importantly, if one were trying to unlawfully break into a dead man's house, is great for unlocking locked doors." He replied. I only shook my head at his response, which I was beginning to think was typical of this man.

"Handy" I muttered "wish I had one when I'd needed it back all those times I was trying to sneak out of my house, or catch Reen in his double dealing. Or cheating." The Doctor only raised one eyebrow before striding confidently forward through the house to go to a back door where a rattling sound could be heard coming from the other side. The Doctor raised a finger to his mouth before abruptly opening the door, to reveal the other Doctor kneeling on the ground.

"Hello." My Doctor said. The other Doctor looked completely surprised at the sight of us, quickly coming to stand up and face us.

"Hi, seems we here to here to help you break into this house." I said smiling awkwardly as I half heartily raised my hand in a greeting. The Doctor didn't seem to be to thrilled with me revealing that though as he shot me a look to be quiet and let him do the talking.

"How did you get in?" the other Doctor asked. My Doctor sort of scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed manner as he tried to think of an excuse.

"Front door" I replied promptly jerking my thumb behind me to roughly the direction we had come from. "Apparently, he is good at doors. Also many other things as well, or so he tells me." The Doctor cut me off quickly.

"Yes, yes. Anyway. Um, do you mind my asking, is that your sonic screwdriver?" He asked an intense concentration on his face. The other Doctor looked at the tool in slight confusion, as to what the Doctor could be implying.

"Yeah, I'd be lost without it."

"But, that's a screwdriver. How's it sonic?" The Doctor asked in astonishment. I raised a brow at how worked up he was getting over a tool. Sure, if was a bit primitive, but what did you expect of the era. The other Doctor didn't really see what the problem was as he tapped it against the wood of the door frame.

"Well, er, it makes a noise. That's sonic, isn't it? Now, since we're acting like common burglars, I suggest we get out of plain view." With that he lead the way inside the house pushing past us as he went by. The Doctor closed the back door behind him.

* * *

I was sitting in a comfortable armchair by the fireplace in the library. The two Doctors were busy nosing about a dead man's possessions to take much notice of my position. The other Doctor was rummaging around in a desk draw, that I assume held some sort of clue to his investigation.

The Doctor walked over to him.

"This investigation of yours, what's it about?" he asked as he lent against the side of an armchair. I leaned forward as I listened intently. Here was the crux of the matter, why the Doctor was so interested in this man.

"It started with a murder." The other Doctor replied.

"Oh, good. I mean bad, but whose?" my Doctor responded excitedly. I made a sound of disapproval at his enthusiasm for a what he believed was a 'good' murder. He looked appropriately abashed at his countenance.

"Mr Jackson Lake, a teacher of mathematics from Sussex. He came to London three weeks ago and died a terrible death." The other Doctor had stopped rummaging and had turned to face us.

"The Cybermen?" I guessed a horrible suspicion in my voice.

"It's hard to say, his body was never found. But then it started. More secret murders. Then abductions. Children…stolen away in silence." The other Doctor continued. He looked away as if in a trance so deeply involved in the memories. I again felt sympathy for the man who had lost so much. If I was proficiently trained in psychometry I might be able to bring some of his memories back. But I had always preferred my gifts of telekinetic control over reading and imprinting memories and feelings in objects and people.

"So, whose house is this?" The Doctor asked, although I was pretty sure he already knew the answer to that question and only stated it to keep the man talking. All the same we both listened intently to the other Doctor's answer. The other Doctor moved to a book rack as he browsed the tomes in the case.

"The latest murder. The Reverend Aubrey Fairchild. Found with burns to his forehead, like some advanced form of electrocution." He replied absently as he focused again looking for clues. I stood up from the chair I was in coming closer to the Doctor.

"But who was he, was he important?" I asked, getting into the _pakki_ of things as we became more involved with the case. The Doctor turned to me in slight surprise but smiled in pride at my initiative.

"You both ask a lot of questions." The other Doctor said evasively. The Doctor wasn't deterred as he smoothly replied "We're your companions." I suppose in this instance we sort of were, even if it was only in a superficial or temporary role. Eventually the other Doctor reluctantly answered us.

"The Reverend was the pillar of the community, a member of many parish boards. A keen advocate of children's charities."

"Children again. But why would the Cybermen want him dead? And what's his connection to the first death, this Jackson Lake?" The Doctor questioned thoughtfully, trying to see the connections between the two deaths. I for one was Akhatenly stumped. Still anything to do with children was a sore point for me, something I had always felt very strongly about. I never agreed with an individual who would use one less mature or wise in the way of the universe for their own gain. A child had the right to their innocence and happiness and nothing should ever take that away from them. To hear of such tragedy made me angry.

"It's funny, I seem to be telling you everything. As though you engendered some sort of... trust. You seem familiar, Mr Smith. I know your face. But how? And you, Miss Tahlay, there is something at the edge of my mind…something I can't quite remember, something so precious and dear and its' lost in fire." He said as though struggling with an enormous weight upon his shoulders. He gazed forlornly at the ground as though in mental agony. I felt terrible sympathy for this poor man. But how did he even know us, we had never met him. Or at least I had never.

The Doctor came closer examining the other Doctor under a careful scrutiny. "I wonder. I can't help noticing you're wearing a fob watch." He said in almost reverence. I didn't understand the significance of that statement and said so.

"Legend has it that the memories of a Time Lord can be contained within a watch. Do you mind?" When the Doctor leaned forward to take the strange device from the other man I gasped in slight surprise. I had seen such a device before. Although not for a long time and I couldn't quite place exactly where I had last seen it. Still the fact that such an obviously primitive device was present on this planet should have been a clue. I should have realised sooner…

NO! I wouldn't go there. I wasn't going to put myself through that again. It had taken me nearly a decade to get over it and I still wasn't completely at terms with what had happened. So, with as much determination and mental power as I possessed I shut all line of that train of thought down and focused on the here and now where the Doctor seemed as though he was about to reveal another should-be-impossibility.

"It's said that if it's opened..." As he said this he opened the watch and I felt my heart beating hard and a slight burn from my locket. An echo of thousands of voices seemed to float around my head. Only instead of something dramatic as I was expecting the watch broke and the inside of it fell out. "Oh. Maybe not." He said in disappointment and in some confusion. Why he was so worked up over an old time keeping device I will never understand.

"It's more for decoration" The other Doctor stated with bafflement as the Doctor's behaviour.

"Yeah. Anyway, alien infiltration." My Doctor said abruptly changing the subject at the obvious turn the conversation had taken. He suddenly took a step back from the other man to walk around the room. I gave the other Doctor a shrug at his unusual behaviour as if to say ' _No idea what he's on_ '. Before turning to focus my attention once again on the bizarre man.

"Look for anything different, possibly metal. Anything that doesn't seem to belong, perhaps a mechanical device that could fit no earthly engine. It could even seem to be organic, but unlike any organism of the natural world. Shh! What's that noise?" The other Doctor said as he was instructing us to look around the house.

Meanwhile my Doctor had pulled out his 'sonic screwdriver and was casually waving it about the air as if searching for something. I gave him bemused look while trying to understand what exactly such an action equalled. At the other Doctor's inquiry, he abruptly put the tool back into his coat pocket and pretended to whistle.

"Oh, it's just me... whistling. I wonder what's in here, though. Ah. Different and metal, you were right. They are infostamps. I mean, at a guess. Um, if I were you, I'd say they worked something like this." The Doctor said as he pulled out a small cylindrical device that was very obviously made of metal. He then proceeded to project a sort of streamavid onto one of the walls. I gasped in awe at the site. There were so many foreign images that revolved around what was obviously the history of this world and its people.

"That's a history vid." I breathed softly. The Doctor smiled at me in pride again.

"Very good Riana. Your right, well mostly right in the fact that this indeed a history lesson of a fashion. See? Compressed information. Tons of it. That is the history of London, 1066 to the present day. This is like a disk, a Cyberdisk. But why would the Cybermen need something so simple?" He trailed off an obvious question in his tone. For someone as smart as I guessed the Doctor to be, him not knowing was probably not a great thing. In fact, it spoke of obvious zeem'al to come; something I was intimately familiar with. Being a causer of it often enough.

"I take it that it's not a good thing, if something as advanced as what I'm guessing the Cybermen are, are reverting to fairly primitive mode of acquiring information? My guess would be they're acting out of desperation. Which in my experiences is never a good thing, as people are more likely to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals-even murder innocent people and take children." I said with horror.

The Doctor nodded seemingly agreeing with my statement. However, it was his next assessment that chilled my blood.

"In my experience, if the cybermen are desperate, then there really is no reasoning with them, they are emotionless machines. They will do whatever they deem to be necessary to achieve their goals of victory at whatever cost and many times it had been thousands." He said with much sadness in his voice. I could only look on in horror.

"Your telling me one day I will live through that?" I whispered. He saw my expression and his face softened. Taking my hand in his he brought it to his mouth again as a form of reassurance.

"Spoilers, Riana. You know I can't say anymore. But I promise you, of I'm here that means we lived through it." Was all he said in reply, dropping my hand in favour of focusing on the distraught man behind us, hunched over an armchair.

"Are you alright? The Cybermen, they've gotta be wireless. Unless... they're in the wrong century, they haven't got much power. They need plain old basic infostamps to update themselves." He said trying to reassure the man. I don't think it was helping though as the other Doctor looked even worse than before.

I came over as well and knelt next to the man on the chair, taking his sweaty hand in mine, trying to provide support in whatever way possible.

"I'm fine" the other Doctor said, trying to brush us off. But the Doctor was not one to be easily fooled.

"No, what is it? What's wrong?" He persisted in asking.

"I've seen one of these before. I was holding... this device, the night I lost my mind. The night I regenerated." (Again, with that word) "The Cybermen, they made me change. My mind, my face, my whole self. And you were there. Who are you? And you, the woman with the impossible hair wreathed in fire, burning…yet so alive?" He confessed murmuring softly.

I didn't understand how he could recognise me? What did he mean by seeing me surrounded by fire and not dead? Also, what exactly was regeneration and how did it apply to the Doctor? So many questions, enough to make my mind work in overdrive.

The Doctor glanced sharply at me as he saw me withdraw into myself before turning back to distressed man. "A friend. I swear. Both of us are, as for the woman, don't worry about her, it's not important right now. I promise." He said intently staring into the man's eyes to convey his promise. I felt my breath catch as he said the last bit about the woman. If it was in apprehension or disappointment at his denial I couldn't tell.

"Then I beg you, John. Help me." The other Doctor pleaded.

"Ah. Two words I never refuse." He stood as he began to walk away from the both of us. "But it's not a conversation for a dead man's house. It'll make more sense if we go back to the TARDIS... Your TARDIS. Hold on, I just need to do a final check. Won't take a tick. There's one more thing I cannot figure. If this rooms got infostamps, then maybe, just maybe, it's got something that needs infostamping." As he said this he pulled one of the doors open to see what looked like a metal man, with the same faceplate as the cyber creature from before. I gasped and nearly shrieked when the metal man raised its arm and screamed out "DELETE!"

"OK. I think we should run." The Doctor shouted as he slammed the door shut in the man's face before he turned back to us and grabbed my hand as we all sprinted out of the library.

* * *

We had barely fled the room when another of the metal men blocked our way. I was beginning to suspect these were the sinister Cybermen I had heard so much about. The Doctor quickly shouted for us to flee up the stairs. The other Doctor, had already run up them, but I noticed the Doctor hesitating when he didn't follow us immediately up.

"What are you doing! Get up here before you're killed you _tookihal_ man!" I shouted at him. He had grabbed a strange looking device from a barrel by the stairs. He pointed it at the Cybermen and he groaned in annoyance.

"Of course it's an umbrella." However, his annoyance soon turned to triumphant as he spied a deadly looking sword. He pulled it off the wall he brandished it like an expert. I could literally only stare in disbelief at the gall of this man.

"I'm a dab hand with a cutlass. You don't want to come near me when I've got one of these. This is your last warning. No? OK, this is really your last warning! OK, I give up." He said as he attempted to block their blows. I finally got sick of his procrastination, I wasn't letting him die on me when he was going to take me away from here. So I easily created a telekinetic field around both Cybermen and shahked them. It didn't seem to have much of an effect as they still continued to move up the stairs towards us.

The Cybermen both cried out 'Delete' as they advanced on us. The Doctor while blocking blows was questioning them. "Listen to me properly! Whatever you're doing stuck in 1851, I can help! I'm the only person in the world who can help you! Listen to me!"

The Cybermen of course didn't listen and attacked the Doctor. I was getting desperate at this point. I ran back towards the both of them. I grabbed the Doctor and pulled him behind me.

"Eat this tin can!" With that statement, I telekinetically threw them. Both metal men were blown backwards by the force down the stairs. I knew it wouldn't stop them for long, so I hauled the Doctor up with me. As I glanced back the Cybermen had already regained their footing and were quickly coming back.

"I'm The Doctor and this is Riana. You need us. Check your memory banks, our names are The Doctor and the Azure Queen. Leave this man alone! The Doctor is me!" He yelled at the attacking metal men. I thought he was completely, Grandfather damn all out of his mind. What the heck did he mean that I was known to the Cybermen?

But I didn't have long to ponder it as I had been pulled down by one of the Cybermen. The Doctor was still not faring any better, still shouting at the metal men.

"The Doctor, remember and Riana? I'm The Doctor and she's Riana! You need us alive! You need The Doctor and the Azure Queen, and that's us!" He was desperate I could tell as finally his feet were kicked out from under him by one of the Cybermen.

"Doctor, for Grandfather's sake, SHUTUP! They're not listening and you're not helping." I screamed at him. Terrified of what would happen now. Maybe this was it for me. Maybe this was where I died, afraid and alone, away from everyone I knew. I definitely wasn't ok with that.

The other Doctor had reached up and grabbed one of the infostamps and had turned it around to face the Cyberman over the Doctor. With a furious cry, he let out a blast of energy overloading the Cyberman's head. I at the same time used a massive telekinetic blast to throw the Cyberman off me and crush its head into the ground where it landed.

We were all breathing hard from out near death experience and I for one was not eager to repeat it anymore today. The Doctor came over and helped me up. He smiled kindly at me.

"That was a very brave thing you just did then Riana, a telekinetic wave to crush its head, genius. Any you," He turned back to the other Doctor "Infostamp with a cyclo-Steinham core. You ripped open the core and broke the safety, zap! Only the Doctor would think of that." He laughed in a pleased way at both of our successes. But the other Doctor didn't look any better. He was pale and sweating slightly as though he had been electrocuted himself. The Doctor approached him and attempted to soothe the obviously traumatised man.

"I did that... last time. You told them you were The Doctor. Why did you do that?" He asked bewildered by the Doctor's actions.

"Come here, you'll be OK. Let me just check." As the Doctor said this he pulled out a strange listening device with a long tail. He placed one end in his ears and another against the man's chest where his heart should sit. "Oh, I was just protecting you" he replied.

"You're trying to take away the only thing I've got, like they did. They stole something, something so precious. But I can't remember. What happened to me? What did they do?" The other Doctor asked, his voiced filled with a terrible grief and an almost emptiness.

The Doctor placed his hands on the other Doctor's shoulders in a reassuring gesture. "We'll find out. You, Riana and I, together. We promise to help you." The Doctor said solemnly. I could only determinedly grit my teeth and silently nod in agreement with the Doctor's vow.

* * *

 _I was standing in a snowy deserted field filled with stones sticking up out of the ground. They had writing visible on them. Somehow I was able to make out what each stone said, even though I knew I shouldn't be able to read the language. Each had a different name on them and a date. Two dates I realised, a date of birth and a date of death._

 _Everything was silent except for a small intimate gathering around a grave that had been dug deep into the frozen earth. A man with white and black robes was reading our of a book. One I assumed had some religious significance. All gathered around were men, all of varying ages and appearances, old and young alike. Yet all of them had something in common; they were all filthy rich and cared little for hard manual labour._

 _Suddenly out of the swirling snow walked a woman. She wore a vivid shade of crimson, in the fashion of a gown that was popular for this time. Her hair was coal black and elegantly tied up into a bun at the nape of her neck. Earrings hung from her lobes and her eyes sparkled with a malicious intent. She bore a crimson umbrella to keep the snow off her._

" _Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy, to take unto Himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working..." The holy man stopped speaking only just noticing her presence._

 _The woman didn't even blink at his pause, telling him to continue with the ceremony._

" _Madam, I must protest!" The holy man said._

" _Whatever for?" she replied flippantly._

" _A lady at the graveside is debatable enough, but... your apparel..." the holy man said uncomfortably. This seemed to annoy the woman as she came closer. A tight tone heard in her voice warning him to be careful about what he said next._

" _Is it too exciting?" she playfully said, an undercurrent of steel to her reply. One of the other men spoke up outrage heard in his voice._

" _You're disgracing the ceremony, dressed like a harlot."_

" _Oh, and you should know, Mr Cole." She replied. The man, Mr Cole paled at the mention of his name._

" _How do you know my name?" he said flustered. The woman's gaze pierced his own as she angrily replied. "You've walked past me so many times, all you good men of charity, never once asking my name."_

" _It's Miss Hartigan, isn't it?" Another man spoke up, slightly older this time with white hair visible under his tall hat._

" _Oh, you noticed. I saw you looking, you cheeky boy." She flirtatiously said. The older man looked slightly embarrassed at having been caught out. The holy man again asked for her identity._

" _Matron of the St Joseph Workhouse, your humble servant. Oh, I've watched you all. Visiting. Smiling. Bestowing your beneficence upon the poor while I scrubbed down their filthy beds." She said with some disgust. The holy man again insisted that she leave. She ignored him in favour of speaking to them all._

" _But that's why the late Reverend Fairchild had to die. To gather you all in one place. Where better than a funeral? 'Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live'. Although I've got some friends who might disagree with that. Would you like to meet them? Hark! I can hear them now." She said with a spiteful glee. Over the silence of the astonishment of the men gathered around the gravesite, the thunderous footsteps of nearly 50 Cybermen could be heard. The men turned around to glance in horror at the metal nightmares._

" _Mr Cole, Mr Scoones, Mr Fetch, Mr Milligan, stay where you are. You're needed. The rest of you are disposable. Sorry." She said as she started to walk towards the approaching creatures. Those men looked on confusedly at her request. The holy man even asking what sort of men those creatures were._

" _Cybermen." She said. The metal man began to electrocute those standing around the graveside. Panic began as all of them tried to escape to save themselves. The woman only watching on with satisfaction._

" _I repeat, Mr Cole, Mr Scoones, Mr Fetch, Mr Milligan. Stay."_

" _You monstrous witch!" Mr Cole called. "Merry Christmas, to you too." She replied._

" _But why are we spared? What do you need us for?" The white-haired man asked fearfully._

" _Your children. It's funny, now I think of it, but in all these years not one of you has asked my first name. It's Mercy."_

* * *

My name was being called and I was being shaken. I blinked as I slowly came back unto myself. I focused on the Doctor who stood in front of met attempting to see if I was all right. We were outside and it was night time. We stood in an alley, that was deserted at this time of night.

"How did we get here?" I asked confusedly. Both Doctor's looked at me in concern.

"You walked with us, you just only now stopped. As if in a deep slumber. Mr Smith only just pulled you out of it." The other Doctor replied. I gazed at the Doctor in fear, what was happening to me. However, it wasn't his reply that made me shake, it was the burning around my neck from the locket. It was glowing a soft red colour. It was also still hot as though it had been even hotter but just a moment ago.

"Riana, it's ok. You're alright. Just breathe and remember whatever you saw you can't tell me. It was the power of the locket, one of the many abilities it gives you." The Doctor said trying to reassure me. It wasn't helping though. What had the locket done?

"All those men. I saw them all die, killed by that woman in red. She said her name was Mercy. I couldn't do anything. I just stood there watching. Why?" I whispered brokenly. The Doctor pulled me into his arms as held me tightly.

"It's ok. It will pass. Don't think about it. Just focus on my voice Riana. Don't say anymore…just breathe." He whispered in my ear. I let out a choked sob, trying to regain my mind after seeing what I had. I still noticed how the Doctor wasn't saying if what I experienced was fake. Eventually I calmed down enough to step back and hastily wipe my eyes. My hair was a mess, hanging horribly tangled around my face. My dress was dirty and covered in sleet and soot from being chased around so much. My shoes were scuffed from my normal delivery work on Tiaanamat. I was slightly cold from the dampness of the air although the adrenalin being pumped around my body was doing wonders for keeping me warm and alert.

If what I saw was real, that meant that Mercy Hartigan was working with the Cybermen and she was responsible for all the deaths and abductions of all those children. I had to tell the Doctor what I knew. Screw not telling him what I saw, it was important, people lives were at stake.

"Doctor there is something you need to know-" I started to say, but suddenly, the franticly relieved voice of Rosita calling out 'Doctor', stopped me. The others turned to see the dark skinned woman rush over and throw herself into the other Doctor's arms, much to his embarrassment.

"I thought you were dead!" she cried happily. The other Doctor petted he back awkwardly.

"Now then, Rosita. A little decorum." He said trying to distance himself from the frantic girl. I was slightly amused at the sight. It was good for the other Doctor to be reminded of how much this girl had done for him and that others still cared about him. The poor _Silku_ was lonely enough. Rosita reluctantly let go of him and stepped back.

"You've been gone for so long. He's always doing this, leaving me behind. Going frantic." She said in some irritation. Although I sensed that she was being affectionate in her teasing.

"What about the TARDIS?" The other Doctor asked, an urgency in his voice. Again, with the same ship name. If the Doctor had a ship called the TARDIS and the other Doctor had one also called the TARDIS, did that mean they were the same person? Not to mention they had the same name, otherwise it was shaping up to be a massive coincidence.

"Oh, she's ready. Come on." Rosita said excitedly as she grabbed his arm and pulled him along. The Doctor offered his hand and I didn't even think about it this time when I automatically responded.

"I'm looking forward to this" he said winking at me.

* * *

We walked for some time before we came upon a strange set of buildings. They were made of wood and the a particularly strong odour wafted from the door. I scrunched up my noise and made a gagging sound.

"That is even worse than an _Ooska_ who hasn't been bathed in over a month and has been rolling around in a trash compacter." I complained. The Doctor chuckled at my facial expression.

"What your smelling is from an animal known as a horse. They're the ones that pulled the carriage earlier. They are very heavily used as a method of transport in this time as the diesel engine has yet to be invented. This is a stable where they keep them." He replied.

"Well I think they reek, these horses." I muttered, just as we entered the building.

There were clothes and cases scattered about the place. An armchair in one corner and although it was obvious that there were stalls made for these horses there were none inside. The Doctor looked around in surprise at finding the building so lived in.

"You were right though, Rosita. The Reverend Fairchild's death was the work of the Cybermen." The other Doctor said as he washed his hands in a basin. I was more astonished to find actual candles that lit the inside of the building any form of electric light. It was just so…. primitive.

"So you live here?" the Doctor asked with some incredulity. I didn't see anything wrong with the surroundings, wasn't it normal for the time period?

"A temporary base, until we rout the enemy. The TARDIS is magnificent, but it's hardly a home." The other Doctor replied. I frowned in thought. Wasn't the Doctor's ship the TARDIS, where he dwelled. It was massive I remembered, seeing all those corridors and different rooms. Not to mention that ominous room I had first awoken in. The Doctor also appeared concerned.

"What it is? You keep looking like you expect something of him, yet the more he says, the more it doesn't add up in your mind. What are you looking for?" I asked him quietly.

"So many things. It doesn't make sense. He has everything, yet nothing at all. He should be more like me, yet he isn't. Whatever happened that night changed him and I have to figure it out." He said. I couldn't help that he hadn't actually answered the question. I snorted in irritation.

"Couldn't you for once be straight with me. This whole day has been insane." I said furiously back. But the Doctor continued on like he hadn't heard me.

"And where's the TARDIS now?" The Doctor asked. "In the yard." The other Doctor replied.

"What's all this luggage?" I asked, taking a hint from how the Doctor had been looking around earlier. The other Doctor seemed surprised at my questioning but answered me anyway.

"Evidence. The property of Jackson Lake, the first man to be murdered. Oh, but my new friends are fighters, Rosita, much like myself. He faced the Cybermen with a cutlass and she used some sort of magic on them, the like of which I've never seen before. I'm not ashamed to say, they was braver than I." He said somewhat despondently.

"Even the girl?" Rosita asked.

"Hey!" I cried out indignantly.

"Yes even the blue haired woman." The other Doctor replied. I crossed my arms in annoyance. "The blue-haired woman has a name and its Riana." I said.

"Right again, my apologies milady Riana." He said trying to sooth my temper.

The Doctor had taken out his sonic screwdriver again and was scanning the room with it while the other Doctor's back was turned. Rosita gave the Doctor a strange look. He pressed his finger to his lips to signal for her to remain quiet.

"He was quite brilliant. Are you whistling again?" The other Doctor said as he turned around to stare at the Doctor. The Doctor quickly spun around hiding the device as he did so. I smirked, he could be unbelievable unsubtle at times.

"Yes. Yes, I am, yeah. Yeah." He said in a rush. I snorted. I wandered over to one of the cases and opened it looking through the belongings inside. Rosita made an annoyed noise when she spotted what I was doing.

"That's another man's property." She said with great disapproval. I shrugged figuring if the man was already dead then it was open slather. The Doctor came up to where I was and joined me in looking.

"You see it yet?" he said. I looked at him closely trying to work out exactly what he was trying to tell me.

"I'm not sure, but you're right, something doesn't make sense. Not that an of this really does anyway. I suppose it's the kind of day I'm having. I know the Cybermen are stuck here in this…1851, I think you said. They don't have much power and yet they have all those history devices lying around. Then there are all the disappearing children. Children don't just disappear without someone noticing, unless no one notices them. Which to me sounds like those who are disappearing are all the unwanted, expendable to say bluntly. Yet what is the missing connection between the murders? What if the connection was the children? What if the men being killed were done so to lure certain others together in one place at one time, what do you think would happen then? I still admit I don't see the connection between the Doctor and all this stuff though" I theorised. The Doctor looked extremely impressed with my deductive reasoning. I am ashamed to admit my heart was beating furiously in my chest and my cheeks were warm when he smiled at me like that.

"Very good. Now shall I explain?" He said quietly, placing a quick kiss on my forehead before turning back to face the others in the room.

"How did you two meet?" he asked Rosita suddenly.

"He saved my life. Late one night, by the Osterman's Wharf, this...creature came out of the shadows. A man made of metal. I thought I was gonna die. And then, there he was. The Doctor. Can you help him, sir? He has such terrible dreams. Wakes at night in such a state of terror." She said sadly as though she wished she could repay him for all his good deeds.

I had a new sudden understanding of why Rosita did what the other Doctor asked of her so easily. She cared about the wellbeing of the man. Saw the greatness in him and was drawn to him without true explanation. Sort of like me and the Doctor.

"Come now, Rosita. With all the things a Time Lord has seen, everything he's lost, he may surely have bad dreams." The other Doctor abruptly interrupted. The Doctor turned back and continued to rummage through the trunk before pulling out a familiar infostamp.

"Yeah. Oh, now, look. Jackson Lake had an infostamp."

"But how is that significant?" I asked still not quite seeing how the death of Jackson Lake was important to the disappearance and the murders.

"Doctor, the answer to all this is in your TARDIS. Could I see it?" He asked a great anticipatory smile on his face. The other Doctor suddenly perked up and offered his arm to me.

"Mr Smith, Miss Tahlay, it would be my honour." With that he lead us out of the stables to a courtyard where a man stood occupied with something. Looking up I spotted an impressive looking air device. It was a bit primitive but non the less astonishing to look at.

"By the light of Akhaten." I breathed. The Doctor looked less impressed beside me though as though someone just spat on his shoe. I nudged him.

"Its impressive, isn't it. Bit primitive, but for the age and people, it would take a genius to create something like this." I said with fascination. The Doctor only grimaced slightly before turning back to the 'supposed' TARDIS. I still didn't understand exactly why he was disappointed. Sure it wasn't like his own ship but it was still _melu._

"There she is! My transport through time and space. The TARDIS." The other Doctor exclaimed proudly.

"You've got a balloon." The Doctor stated, popping the last word slightly.

"Bit less sophisticated than yours, I think Doctor." I said amusement coloring my tone. "Oi." He said in warning to me.

"TARDIS. T-A-R-D-I-S. It stands for Tethered Aerial Release Developed In Style. D'you see?" The other Doctor said, not paying attention to our conversation.

"Well, I do now. I like it. Good TARDIS. Brilliant. Nice one. And it's inflated by gas, yeah?" The Doctor said as he walked around inspecting the balloon. I followed closely behind curious myself to the workings of the device.

"We're adjacent to the Mutton Street Gasworks, I pay them a modest fee. Good work, Jed." The other Doctor replied. Jed, the man who had been standing in the courtyard with us nodded in approval and said he was glad to be of service. The other Doctor handed him some notes of paper, which I suspected were a form of currency around here. I wondered the value of the Precious within them?

"You've got quite a bit of money." The Doctor commented innocently. I wondered what money was, guessing it must be the name of the currency around here.

"Oh, you get nothing for nothing. How's that ripped panel, Jed?" The other Doctor asked.

"All repaired, should work a treat. You never know, maybe tonight's the night, Doctor. Imagine it, seeing Christmas from above." Jed said as he looked up into the sky.

"Well, not just yet, I think. One day, I will ascend. One day soon." The other Doctor brushed off the inquiry, trying to play it casually. I wondered though. Why had he built this device if he would never fly?

The Doctor exclaimed in surprise when he mentioned that he had never left, demanding to know why he had never been up into the sky. The other Doctor didn't answer, instead it was Rosita. She said that the Doctor dreamed of it but never actually followed through. I felt sad for the man, something terrible must be tethering him to this place on the cold snow covered ground. If I had the choice, I would choose to travel and never touch the ground again. Away from obligation and terror and people who thought you were so much less than you knew you were capable of being… I let my thoughts trail off as I brought myself back to the present moment.

"I can depart, in the TARDIS, once London is safe. And finally, when I'm up there... Think of it, John, Riana. The time and the space." The other Doctor replied.

"The perfect escape. Do you ever wonder what you're escaping from?" The Doctor swiftly asked him. The other Doctor looked terribly burdened in that moment. Part of him yearned to never know, to simply escape it all and never look back. But too much of him needed to know just who and what he was running from. I too had to know, what could make a man that brilliant lose his mind?

"With every moment." He said quietly.

"Then do you want me to tell you? 'Cos I think I've worked it out now. How you became The Doctor. What do you think? Do you want to know?" The Doctor inquired seriously. The other Doctor could only nod.

* * *

We all sat in front of the fire, listening intently as the Doctor told his tale, his alluring voice ensnaring us like _yics_ in a _dandren's_ web.

"The story begins with the Cybermen. A long time away, and not so far from here, the Cybermen were fought and they were beaten, and they were sent into a howling wilderness called The Void, locked inside forevermore. But then a greater battle rose up, so great that everything inside The Void perished. But, as the walls of the world weakened, the last of the Cybermen must have fallen through the dimensions, back in time, to land here. And they found you." The Doctor said.

"I fought them, I know that. But what happened? There was a woman, a woman caught in fire yet not burning. She did something… so terrible… but I can't make out her face." The other Doctor stated softly.

My Doctor looked at the ground a great sadness upon his face. Caught deep in a painful memory. He abruptly looked up to meet my blue eyes, before he tore his eyes away and continued.

"She is not important. At the same time, another man came to London. Mr Jackson Lake. Plenty of luggage, money in his pocket. Maybe coming to town for the winter season, I don't know. But he found the Cybermen too. And just like you, exactly like you, he took hold of an infostamp." The Doctor said as he held up the device. I could feel my pulse start to race as I leaned forward like the others to hear the end to this tale.

"But he's dead. Jackson Lake is dead. The Cybermen murdered him." The other Doctor stated as if he was wondering why this man was so important to the story.

"You said no body was ever found. And you kept all his suitcases, but you could never bring yourself to open them. I told you the answer was in the fob watch. Can I see?" The Doctor held out his hand for the other Doctor to pass the achingly familiar device over. I shivered upon seeing the thing, although unlike last time I didn't hear any voices.

The Doctor flipped the watch over to show the alien letters of J.L, which somehow, I could read. ""J.L." The watch is Jackson Lake's." he said quietly. Suddenly it all made sense to me, the missing link I couldn't identify before. But Rosita beat me to the punch in stating the conclusion I had come to.

"Jackson Lake is... you, sir?" she asked with some incredulity.

"But I'm The Doctor." He said trying to cling to a fantasy, which in his mind was of a fantastical man or alien who travelled the stars and was a hero. A being that made legends. Something which I only realised meant that the man sitting beside me, also called the Doctor WAS that impossible man. The one whom I had berated and teased and yelled at all this time. I flushed with slight embarrassment at my own naivety.

"You became The Doctor because the infostamp you picked up was a book about one particular man. The Cybermen's database. Stolen from the Daleks inside The Void, I'd say, but it's everything you could want to know about The Doctor." As he said this he pointed the infostamp at the wall and a series of images began to be shown. All different faces, all different ages, yet they were all called the Doctor. I counted them 8,9…10. I gasped when I saw his face. The Doctor's face. He was on there, the Cybermen's greatest enemy was _him._

The other Doct- no sorry Jackson Lake, gasped and said in complete puzzlement, "That's you."

"Time Lord, TARDIS, enemy of the Cybermen. The one and the only. You see? The infostamp must have backfired, streamed all that information about me right inside your head." He explained pointing the device at Jackson to demonstrate how it had happened.

"But what about the other woman, the one caught in fire? She can't have been in there." Jackson questioned. The Doctor looked angry for a second before brushing it off.

"That is another story. She has somewhat of a history with me. My guess is that her presence was so powerful it imprinted into the Cybermen's database records of me and that psychometric energy soaked it. When you got blasted with that information you absorbed some of the remnant of her energy. Believe me she can be hard to forget. Anyway she isn't relevant to your situation though." The Doctor casually stated although I was sure this woman was anything but. I think in some ways I would like to meet her.

"I'm nothing but a lie, then." Jackson stated brokenly, clasping his head in his hands despondently.

"No, no, no, no, no. Infostamps are just facts and figures. All that bravery. Saving Rosita. Defending London town. Hmm? And the invention, building a TARDIS. That's all you." The Doctor said excitedly, even I had to admit to the brilliance of this human.

"And what else? Tell me what else?" Demanded of the Doctor. I had immeasurable sympathy for the poor man, who had lost so much, in such a short time.

"I'm sorry Jackson" I said as I tried to offer what comfort I could by gently laying a hand on his shoulder. "So sorry, but that's an awful lot of luggage for one man to have all to himself." I half whispered, afraid to make the man even more damaged then he already was.

"'Cos an infostamp is plain technology. It's not enough to make a man lose his mind. What you suffered is called a fugue. A fugue state. Where the mind just runs away, because it can't bear to look back. You wanted to become someone else, because Jackson Lake had lost so much." The Doctor instead finished for me. Jackson looked devastated and broken. The truth of his situation was beginning to dawn on him and I only had pity.

A bell sounded in the distance. "Midnight. Christmas Day." Rosita whispered, great sadness in her voice, for her friends' loss.

"I remember... Oh, my God... Caroline. They killed my wife. They killed her." He began to cry. Rosita leaned forward and comforted the grieving man. Tears appeared in my own eyes, this was never how I imagined my day going. I had imagined boring, maybe stressful, being yelled at by mother, shoved around in the market place, not this hovercoaster of a ride of emotions.

The Doctor found another infostamp and it began to beep. I stood up and looked at what he was doing. I could hear more of the sounds coming from another trunk nearby. We both made way towards it to find a whole belt of the device inside.

"You found a whole cache of infostamps." The Doctor said in surprise.

"But what does that mean, the noise?" Rosita asked, having too heard the noise.

"Activation. A call to arms. The Cybermen are moving!" The Doctor abruptly shouted as he ran out of the room leaving the three of us behind. I sighed. I guess it fell to the two females in the room to help the grief-stricken man. Rosita was already crouched beside him looking between where he sat, my face and the door where the Doctor had run out of.

"I swear that man has no common sense. And I only just met him! I mean leave an inconsolable man by himself after he has just had all that he has ever known torn out from under him. Him and I will be having words, rest assured." I promised anger lacing my voice at the Doctor's idiocy.

"Thank you for what you are trying to do, both of you. Rosita I know I haven't always been fair to you. Not given you enough credit that you deserve for pulling me out of the fire, more times than I can count. You too Miss Riana, for today. And although we have only known each other a short time, I see a spark in you that could equal any man's wit and intelligence and is more than enough to keep the Doctor on his toes. So I ask of you both, for the sake of this city and the thousands of people that dwell within it, help the Doctor. I learnt that much about him. There should be someone at his side. Now go. Go!" He said urgently.

Rosita stood up and turned to me for guidance. It felt strange to be in charge for once, I was so used to people ignoring my opinion. Everyone except for my Father I mean.

"Are you sure, Jackson?" I asked he nodded and without hesitation, Rosita and I ran after the Doctor.

I would come back, if I survived this terrible night from the pits of Vespin. I would come back and make sure he was alright, so he wouldn't be lonely in his grief, like I had been in mine.

* * *

Rosita and I found the Doctor watching as a long line of dirty children walked down the street. They looked terrified and were utterly silent. I felt my locket burn in response to my anger and felt the Doctor take my hand.

"What is it? What's happening? That's Mr Cole. He's Master of the Hazel Street Workhouse. Maybe he's taking them to prayers." Rosita said, pointing towards a man in a tall hat with white hair. I gasped, it was exactly the same man I had seen in my vision. The one where the crimson dressed woman had killed everyone.

"I guess we now know where all the children are disappearing to. Doctor I was trying to tell you before, that man, I've seen him before. In my vision, with that women who killed everyone. She left him alive with several others, said she needed them for their children." I said in horror. The Doctor turned to me sharply at my revelation.

"If that is the case we have to stop this. All those children are in terrible danger. Riana, remember what I said before, you can't tell me what happens in your visions, only as an absolute last resort." He implored of me. I nodded assuming it was another of those rules of his'.

"Oh, nothing as holy as that." He said in reply to Rosita's question. "Can you hear me? Hello? No? Mr Cole, you seem to have something in your ear. Now, this might hurt a bit, but if I can just..." As he attempted to pull out the alien devices from the man's ears the Doctor spotted one of the Cyber creatures from before. "They're on guard. Can't risk a fight. Not with the children." He said reluctantly pulling us both back from the children and into the shadows. I gritted my teeth in anger as we had to let them pass.

I felt the Doctor's warm hands covering my clenched fists as I realised I was generating a blue field around my hands. "Easy" he murmured into my ear. Slowly I relaxed.

"But where are they going?" Rosita asked in a horrified voice. I was about to tell her I didn't know when Jed, the man from the courtyard walked up to us.

"All need a good whipping, if you ask me. There's tons of 'em. I've just seen another lot coming from the Ingleby Workhouse down Broadback Lane." He said obnoxiously. I felt like shahking him in the face, or maybe just kicking him in the nuts for his insensitivity and boorish opinion.

"Where's that?" the Doctor asked Rosita, completely ignoring the other man.

"This way!" she shouted in reply as she took off running down the snow covered streets. The Doctor and I following closely behind. We ran a fair way through the city of London before we stopped abruptly because of another group of children.

"There's dozens of 'em!" Rosita said in disgust.

"But what for?" the Doctor pondered.

"Maybe they need them for something. Remember I said before, the only children who go missing that no one cares about are those that are considered expendable." I reminded him. He suddenly turned around and pulled me to him. I barely had enough time to register the fact that he had just smashed his lips to mine, before he had pulled away. I stood there stunned at the action. Sure, I had been kissed before, but never quite like that. While my mouth opened, and closed like a _shahked_ idiot, the Doctor turned back to Rosita.

"Sorry shouldn't have done that, yet." He said off handily to me.

"Yet?" I said as my voice went up an octave.

"That's the door to the sluice. All the sewage runs through there, straight into the Thames." Rosita said as we watched more children enter the door.

"Yeah, that's too well guarded. We'll have to find another way in." the Doctor said annoyance evident in his voice. We turned around to head back when before us appeared two Cybermen. I got ready to throw them but stopped when a woman appeared. It took me a moment to recognise who she was. It was Mercy Hartigan. However, the Doctor and Rosita didn't know that.

"Whoa! That's cheating, sneaking up! Did you have your legs on silent?" The Doctor said in a playful banter. I nudged him to tell him to shut up. Talking hadn't done us any good before.

"So... what do we have here?" Miss Hartigan asked casually. The Doctor tensed as he thought she was in danger.

"Just walk towards me, slowly. Don't let them touch you." The Doctor pleaded. I tried to speak but he cut me off again before I could. The woman looked terribly amused at the Doctor's antics.

"Oh, but they wouldn't hurt me, my fine boys. They are my knights in shining armour. Quite literally." She said mockingly. I growled at her. "And what an interesting find we have made this night."

"You absolute _grahikki!_ You murdered all those people at the gravesite, for no real reason." I yelled out, no longer able to old my tongue. The Doctor looked at me startled at this piece of news, but didn't deign to comment.

"Even if they've converted you, that's not a Cyber speech pattern. You've still got free will. Step away..." The Doctor tried again, believing there was still some shred of decency in her character left.

"There's been no conversion, sir. No-one's ever been able to change my mind. The Cybermen offered me the one thing I wanted - liberation." She said with a wicked smile on her face. I didn't feel like punching her, I was going to.

"Who are you?" Rosita asked. The woman turned to her sharply. "You can be quiet. I doubt he paid you to talk. More importantly, who are you, sir, With such intimate knowledge of my companions?" She said as she completely dismissed Rosita.

I could tell Rosita was furious and so was I. I was absolutely over people putting us down or categorising us because of our gender.

"Her name is Mercy Hartigan." I supplied. Both the Doctor, Rosita and Miss Haritgan turned to stare at me incredulously.

"How can you possibly know that. I should think I would know an easy woman's face when I saw one." She bitched at me. I was going to kill her. I felt my face go red. Did she seriously just suggest I was a prostitute? I started forward a blue field flaring around me, but the Doctor grabbed my arms before I could do any real damage.

"Let me at her, right now! She's dead." I growled. Miss Hartigan looked on with interest at the display of my skill.

"How intriguing a woman with an unusual power. Perhaps you must be studied?" she said as though I was a specimen in a lab. "Perhaps you are one of these creatures they speak of that comes from another world?"

"I'll show you study, bitch." I muttered.

"I'm The Doctor and this Riana Tahlay." He said indicating myself and him.

"Incorrect. You do not correspond to our image of The Doctor. Incorrect, records show the name Riana Tahlay corresponds to the woman known as the Azure Queen. Image unavailable." The monotone voice of one of the Cybermen responded.

I was stunned, they had records of me and what did it mean by the Azure Queen?

"Yeah, that's cos your database got corrupted. Oh, look, look, look! Check this! The Doctor's infostamp. Plug it in. Go on, download." The Doctor said as he threw the device at the Cyberman. "The core has been damaged. This infostamp would damage Cyberunits." The Cyberman responded. I gaped at the Doctor's clever plan.

"Oh well, nice try." The Doctor cheekily said, winking at both Rosita and I.

The Cyberman repaired the device and inserted it into its chest piece. "Core repaired. Download. You are The Doctor." It stated as it suddenly raised its arm into a position to shoot.

"You will be Deleted." It said. The Doctor suddenly stammered as he tried to buy us some time. "Oh, but let me die happy! Tell me - what d'you need those children for?" he asked.

"What are children ever needed for? They're a workforce." Miss Hartigan replied flippantly. I cried out in horror, all those innocent _silku!_

"Yes but what for?" The Doctor asked again.

"Very soon now, the whole Empire will see. And they will bow down, in worship." She said triumphantly. I felt like being sick.

"And it's all been timed for Christmas Day. Was that your idea Miss Haritgan?" the questioned.

"Yes, it's the perfect day for a birth, with a new message for the people. Only this time, it won't be the words of a man." She replied. Was she only doing this because she was sick of men? How insane could you be, a woman created her own worth. She didn't let alien metal robots tell her what to do. And sure as hell didn't let ordinary men either.

"The birth of what?" The Doctor asked again.

"A birth, and a death. Namely, yours. Thank you, Doctor. I'm glad to have been part of your very last conversation. Now, delete them." She ordered.

I had expected to die but a beam of light shot out from behind the Cybermen and caused them to collapse. From behind it came a determined Jackson Lakes.

"At your service, Doctor, Miss Tahlay." He said as he bowed slightly. I laughed in relieved delight. The Doctor though while happy to see him, grabbed both Rosita and I's hands and told us to run. However, Rosita walked back over to where Miss Hartigan stood.

"One last thing, this is for both me and Riana, and all the women out there you give a bad name to." With that she punched the woman in the face making her topple over into her cyber creatures. I laughed at the gall of Rosita and completely agreed with her action. The Doctor however, didn't.

A we ran away I heard the last of Miss Hartigan's words echo down the street.

"Get off me. I said, get off! Tell your masters, we're not waiting till dawn. The CyberKing will rise... tonight!" She screamed.

 **Next Chapter: The Next Doctor- The Cybermen Rise!**

 **Akheet Word List**

 **Pakki** – Rhythm or tempo of something.

 **Zeem'al** – Akheet term meaning divine trouble or literally translated as 'trouble worth the gods'.

 **Tookihal –** Strange or crazy to the extreme. Beyond what is considered normal.

 **Silku –** equivalent term of a soul.

 **Ooska –** An animal that is found on Tiaanamat. Often kept as a pet it is the equivalent of a dog.

 **Melu –** An expression largely used to describe the feeling of delight one get when encountering something unexpected or astonishing.

 **Yic-** A flying insect.

 **Grahikki –** This does not have an exact translation in English. It is a highly offensive term, like a swearword used by those in the Seven Sytems. Often to describe someone of revolting nature or questionable character who had committed a repugnant act.


	4. The Next Doctor- The Cybermen Rise!

**AN/ Back again with another update. Was away for a few days busy other things and didn't have my computer to type this up. I am amazed that people are liking my story, it can actually be really hard to write for certain fandom's as there is so many wonderful and varied stories out there. I know this might not be for everyone's tastes but its been something I've always wanted to write. So for those of you who are sticking with my story thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy it.**

 **If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask me and I'll do my best to answer them, depending upon if they are spoilers or not :)**

 **Without further** **adieu here is the next chapter**

 **RR**

 **jd009**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: The Next Doctor- The Cybermen Rise!**

We sprinted as fast as we could away from both the Cybermen and that crazy _poshtak._ We finally stopped in a deserted street around a mile from where we had been. All of us, including the Doctor were breathing heavily leaning over to catch our breath. I was surprised, but no less pleased to see that Jackson Lake had chosen to withhold his grief in light of the greater threat to this city from the Cybermen. It spoke of the strength he had within him and cemented what the Doctor had deduced for himself, that Jackson was a brilliant and brave man, who had lost so much.

"Nice to see you again, Jackson." I said my genuine pleasure showing when I beamed at him. Jackson smiled back at me in return. "Rosita, for what you did back there, thank you. She had no right to speak to you that way and she is deluded if she thinks that any self-respecting woman would lower herself to those standards to achieve liberation." I continued. Rosita nodded in return.

"It was my pleasure, Riana. I couldn't just let her get away with such slander in front of someone who has both been respectful and courteous towards me, despite my gender, station and colouring" She acknowledged.

"That stronghold down by the river. I need to find a way in." The Doctor said abruptly changing the subject. Everyone's attention suddenly focused back on the matter at hand.

"I'm ahead of you! My wife and I were moving to London so I could take up a post at the university. And while my memory is still not intact, this was in the luggage. The deeds - 15 Latimer Street. And if I discovered the Cybermen there, in the cellar, then..." He said excitedly holding the documents out for each of us to see.

"That might be our way in." I said, happy that finally something was going right for us, amongst this nightmare.

"Brilliant!" The Doctor crowed in triumphant.

"But there's still more. I remember the cellar...and my wife. But I swear there was something else in that room. If we can find that, perhaps that's the key to defeating these invaders. So...onwards!" he shouted as he took off again down the street.

"Grandfather damn all, what is with all this running?" I said in irritation as we once again began to sprint towards our destination. I wondered if this was a common occurrence with the Doctor and any of his adventures?

"Maybe you should go back..." The Doctor hesitantly suggested of Rosita. I felt like slapping him, honestly! The woman had saved his behind twice now in one day and he couldn't cut her the least bit of slack in regards to tagging along. She certainly knew more about what she was doing than I did, and I was a woman too.

"Don't even try!" she angrily exclaimed as she took off following Jackson. The Doctor shrugged in surrender. "I'll take that as a no then."

* * *

 _I was once again torn out of my body, to find myself gazing into a dark building. I sighed in annoyance. This time I knew what was happening as the Doctor had explained it to me. The locket was showing me what the Cybermen were doing at this exact moment._

" _Excellent. And as for you, Mr Cole, Mr Scoones, Mr Fetch and Mr Milligan, your work is done." The unexpected voice of the villainess Mercy Hartigan caught my attention, when she pulled a lever and all four men were electrocuted to death. I could only stare in horror at the scene, as I hopelessly screamed for it to stop._

 _I don't think any of them could hear me as no one responded to my screams of distress and anger. As the four men fell to the floor dead, Miss Hartigan turned to walk through a door into a cavernous room. I followed closely behind, once I tried to touch one of the dead men, only to find my hand passing right through him._

 _Inside was only worse, on all levels, dirty, half starved children slaved away under the dim light of the many furnaces. I gasped in sorrow. I didn't like to see any of them suffering. None of them should be condemned to this sort of miserable life- but there was nothing I could do to help them. Except try and pay attention to what was being shown and hopefully help the Doctor and Jackson in some way._

" _Children! Pay attention! Now let the new Industrial Revolution begin. I want to see you work!" She shouted down to them below, the echo of her steel voice carrying. The children continued to carry_ , _shovel coal and manually turn gears while Cybermen watched_.

" _Energy levels 60% and rising_." _One of the cybermen supplied._

 _A Cyberman with a black part to his metal face and what looked like part of his brain showing replied. "Soon the CyberKing will awake." Hartigan watched on gleefully before putting her arm through one of the Cybermen's, like a gentleman would do._

" _Then show me." She said_.

 _I glared at her as she started to walk away from where I was standing. "I will you bitch. You won't get away with what you're doing. I'll stop you." I promised and meant it with every breath in my body._

 _88888_

I was forcefully yanked back into my body as I half stumbled a step before regaining my footing. The Doctor had slowed down when he noticed my miss fall. He dropped back to match my slowed pace.

"Are you ok Riana?" he asked. I was breathing heavily, but nodded tight lipped on the vision, having remembered what the Doctor had told me before.

"It was a vision, wasn't it?" he tried again. I nodded finally. He smiled sympathetically at me, patting my arm slightly before picking up his speed again. I sighed, understanding that this was probably going to be a regular occurrence from now on.

It wasn't much further that we reached an abandoned house. Well abandoned in the sense that there were no lights on inside to indicate life from within the large house. Jackson entered the side of the house going around until a set of trap doors that opened outwards from the outside of the house were visible. It was slanted slightly and a set of dark stairs descended below out of sight.

Jackson brough forth a candle stick for light, so we could see as we went down. Perhaps I should have been scared at this point, going uncertainly forward to potentially my death with people I had known for little over 24 hrs. Part of me was, part of me was telling myself to run away, as afar and as fast as possible. But another part, a much larger part reminded myself that I had made a promise those children and to Miss Hartigan and to all those who had died needlessly, to put a stop to it. That's what I would do and the Doctor was my best bet for succeeding.

It didn't matter if I would ever get home, at that moment all that I cared about was the fact that if I died, at least it would be trying to prevent this from ever occurring next to people I considered honourable. A worthy death, a death worth remembering. Not just fading from sight and mind, fading away as though no one ever knew you existed…

I shook my head I couldn't get distracted, it was vital I paid attention.

We entered the cellar to see a Cyberman standing guard over something. The Cyberman had barely raised its arm to shout 'delete', before Jackson had raised one of the infostamps to kill it. I applauded his initiative.

"Must've been guarding this. A Dimension Vault! Stolen from the Daleks again, that's how the Cybermen travelled through time. Jackson, is this the thing you couldn't remember?" The Doctor asked urgently.

"I don't think so. I'm... I just can't see. It's like it's hidden." Jackson said as he again tried to remember, what else had been taken from him. The Doctor had knelt down to examine the obviously future looking device. I could make no sense of it. It looked like no piece of technology I had ever seen. Usually the only pieces of truly futuristic technology I touched were trinkets and pieces of jewellery.

"Yeah, not enough power. Come on! Avanti!" He shouted as he took off down a narrow, low ceilinged tunnel, that probably lead to the sewers. I cringed, great, I was going to be even more filthy and this was one of my best work dresses. My mother was going to kill me.

We proceeded with some caution down the narrow winding tunnels, trying to keep a look out for any sign of the Cybermen. I couldn't hear anything and my ears were quite sensitive. Rosita was up ahead of me holding her skirts up as she ran along.

"What do the Cybermen want?" Rosita asked the Doctor. I too was curious, although I had a fair guess, something along the lines of world domination.

"They want us. That's what Cybermen are - human beings with their brains put into metal shells. They want every living thing to be like them." The Doctor said with some disgust. I shuddered at the thought of having my brain ripped from my skull to be placed in a metal shell for all eternity with no emotions. It was not an appealing thought.

"That's truly horrible. What manner of creature created such a monster?" I questioned. The Doctor looked over his shoulder at me as he answered my question.

"Who do you think? You were there, sorry will be there. Humans from the future who wanted immortality, but could only achieve a taste of it, and only a half-life at best. Their creations became so powerful they rebelled and started to turn others and so forth. Many died to stop it." He said sadly. I looked on shocked. Humans had done this?

"What about Time Lords and Zell. Do they convert them as well?" I asked hesitantly. The Doctor shook his head thankfully.

"No, we're safe enough, the worst they'll do is kill you painfully." His statement didn't exactly bring me comfort.  
Rosita looked between the two of us thoughtfully.

"You said before that you were this Doctor, yeah? You're some sort of Time Lord? What is that exactly and what is a Zell?" she asked. I stopped. I hadn't even thought about the fact that both the Doctor and I were aliens on this world. I suppose he could blend in well enough, but my blue hair was a dead giveaway that I didn't belong.

"A Time Lord is a race of beings from a far-off planet, much like this one. I am one of those, Rosita. My people developed the ability to not only travel through space, but also time. A Zell, is another race of people from the stars as well, although from a far different place then my people. Also from a much different time. They have unusual abilities that some would call magic, such as the ability to move objects with their mind. Riana is one of them." He replied. Rosita and Jackson looked on in awe between the two of us.

"So the blue hair and the lights around objects, that makes you not human?" she asked cautiously. I snorted. But laughed slightly at her nervousness.

"Yes Rosita, my people are born with blue hair in all varying shades. They also have pointed ears." I said as I pushed my hair behind one of my ears, displaying the obvious difference. Jackson gasped but laughed in delight.

"You're like a faery, from one of Shakespeare's plays." He said. I wondered who this Shakespeare was and whether it was a good thing to be compared to this fay-ree?

"Yes, yes. Now let's focus." The Doctor reminded us sternly.

* * *

" _Oh, that is magnificent." Miss Hartigan said as she walked across a narrow bridge. At the end a throne flanked by two Cybermen was visible._

" _That is royalty, indeed. And that's quite a throne. Oh, you will look resplendent." She said admiringly towards the Cyberman with black upon his face._

" _The chair you designate as "throne" is not intended for me. My function is to serve the CyberKing, not to become the CyberKing." The Cyberman responded emotionlessly._

" _Then who sits there?" She asked confused. The Cyberman turned to face her._

" _No! Now, just...I think if you remember correctly, you said I was to be heralded." She said starting to panic. The Cyberman turned to her and said. "All hail the CyberKing."_

" _All hail the CyberKing." The rest of the Cybermen echoed her._

" _But you promised I would never be converted!" She yelled angrily._

" _That was designated a "lie"." The Cyberman responded. Miss HARTIGAN was pulled forward and strapped to the chair. The rest of the Cybermen walked back across the bridge to take up their positions._

" _You can't do this to me!" She yelled frantically trying to escape._

" _Incorrect. It is done." The black-faced Cyberman replied with no sympathy to the desperate women's plight._

" _But I would have served you anyway!" She yelled._

" _Your mind is riven with anger and abuse and revenge. These have no place in a Cybermind. Activate!" He stated as a helmet-like device lowered from above the chair."Emotions have tormented you all of your life. Now you will be set free. This is your liberation." He continued._

" _For the love of God! Have you no pity?" She said in one last despairing attempt to reason with the Cyberman. As though finally realising the extent of her failure._

" _Correct." He supplied. Just as the device clampsed onto Miss Hartingan's head and electricity charged through her. She gasped when it is was done._

" _A CyberKing is born." The Cyberman proclaimed to the rest of the Cybermen. "All hail the CyberKing." They cried out. When Miss Hartigan opened her eyes, they were completely black._

* * *

I gasped once again as I was forcefully pulled back into my body from the intense all senses consuming vision. If what I had seen was true that meant that the poor deluded woman was now converted into one of those metal machines. She was the CyberKing. It was even worse than I imagined.

The Doctor, Jackson and Rosita had come across a grate in the drain pipe, through which a massive workforce could be seen. The exact same one as before from my earlier vision. I could see too many children amongst the smoke and dimness. They were filthy and being worked tirelessly under the watchful eye of the Cybermen. I wanted to telekinetically crush all those horrible machines heads, to free them.

"Upon my soul." Jackson shocked, exclaimed in horror, narrating the feelings of everyone else around him.

"What is it?" Rosita breathed. I followed with my eyes to where she was looking at the massive contraption before us.

"It's an engine. They're generating electricity." The Doctor replied. "

But what for?" I asked the Doctor. He could only look at me blankly with no immediate answer.

"We can set them free!" Jackson said getting ready to charge forward. The Doctor caught him and shook his head. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no…" He said a startled terror in his eyes visible. He suddenly got up and ran back the way we had just come.

"Doctor" I started "It's Miss Hartigan, the Cybermen have done something to her, turned her into one of them. They've started calling her the CYberKing" I said as we ran. The Doctor looked even more determined from before.

"Don't tell me anymore, Riana. But thank you. This mean that its ten times worse than before." He said pessimistically. He had run up towards a panel that was measuring the power readouts from the machine.

"Power at 90%! But if we stop the engine, the power dies down, the Cybermen will come running. Ooh. Hold on. Power fluctuation. That's not meant to happen." The Doctor stated confusion in his voice.

"We could put up a barrier around the exists of the room and get everyone out before reinforcement arrive. I could probably hold them off for a good 5 minutes or so." I said putting my idea out there. The Doctor looked surprised at the option and kissed my head gratefully.

"A brave idea, but Riana you don't know how many exists there are, or how many Cybermen there will be. If they used too many weapons at once it wouldn't work. There had to be another way." He said determinedly as he continued to watch the readings.

"It's going wrong?" Jackson asked.

"No, it's weird. The software's rewriting itself." The Doctor clarified.

"It's changing." I said in surprise.

"What the hell's happening? It's out of control!" The Doctor shouted as he jumped out of the way of an electrical surge.

"It's accelerating. 96%, 97..." Jackson said in a rush.

"When it reaches 100, what about the children?" Rosita asked concern leaking into her voice.

"They get rid of them, they're meant to be disposable and I'm not about to let that happen." I said determinedly as I ran off. I heard the Doctor calling my name behind, for me to stop. I ignored him in favour of trying to free the children. I was done paying to the whims of a mad woman. She was going to Vespin for this and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.

An alarm was sounding in the distance as the Cybermen began to shout 'delete'. The children cried out in terror but I was there and I wasn't letting anymore innocents die this day. I rushed forward and crushed the nearest Cyberman's head under a telekinetic field. I did it to several more before the Doctor, Jackson and Rosita showed up.

Jackson and Rosita both used an infostamp each to blow up a Cyberman's head. I laughed in glee at the things I was feeling at that moment. This was how all battles should go, with the heroes winning.

"Right. Now! All of you, out! D'you hear me? That's an order! Every single one of you, run!" The Doctor shouted as all the children started to tear for the exits. I helped usher them out as fast I could, praying to Grandfather that no more Cybermen were coming at that moment and they would all be able to safely get out.

"All of you, come on! As fast as you can, come on!" Jackson called also helping to usher the dirty children out of the sewers. The Doctor encouraged them to run faster by shouting that there would be hot food at the end if they sprinted.

"Rosita, get them out of the sluice gate! And once you're out, keep running! Far as you can! Come on, come on, come on." He called out to the children, whom only the last ones were just clearing the room. Rosita nodded at us once before continuing to usher the children out. I almost went to help her, but the Doctor caught my hand before I could.

"Not you, Riana, I need you with me. C'mon" He said as he continued to try and get children out. I stood frozen in shock and confusion at his statement. He sent Rosita to safety but wanted me to remain with him in the face of danger? I couldn't simply figure this man out, who exactly was he? Not to mention the secrets he knew about me… He couldn't be could he? No! I wasn't going to think about that now, I had to remain on task and not let Jackson and the Doctor down.

The Doctor insisted the last of the remaining children out. "Go! Quick, quick. It's some sort of starter motor, but starting what?" He said as he again checked the power metre. Jackson was staring at some boys that were running down from the higher reaches. He has stood frozen as a startled realisation occurred to him.

He looked up, and I followed his line of sight to see, on the very top level is a little boy frozen with fear.

"That's my son... My son. Doctor, my son!" He yelled. I gasped in horror as I watched the small boy still standing there. What must he be feeling at that moment. I looked around searching for a way up but I don't think any of us could get to him in time.

"What?!" The Doctor questioned in horror as he came to stand beside Jackson and me.

"They took my son. No wonder my mind escaped! Those damned Cybermen, they took my child. But he's alive, Doctor! Frederic!" Jackson called with all his might, to capture the terrified child's attention.

The Doctor also called out to Frederic as well. "Come on!" I joined in shouting encouragements to get the boy to move.

"Doctor it's not working." I stated.

"No, he's too scared. Stay there! Don't move! I'm coming." Jackson said as he headed for the stairs. But a large explosion occurs and fire blocks the route to the stairs. I gasped. What could I do, what could I do… I repeated over and over to myself. Pushing my brain to find a way to save the child and give some hope back to this torn apart and devastated family. It was the least Jackson deserved for all he done for this city.

My brain was sluggish though and I could almost hear an echo of Hartigan's voice shouting ' _The CyberKing rising!'._ I shook it off though as a large tremor occurred beneath out feet. Knocking Jackson and the Doctor off their feet. I managed to remain mostly upright still focused on the terrified child above me.

"I can't get up there. Fred!" Jackson called to Frederic. The boy could only stare at his father in terror.

"They've finished with the motor. It's going to blow up" The Doctor shouted frustration in his voice.

"What are we going to do, Doctor?! What are we going to do?!" Jackson screamed in panic at the thought of losing his only remaining family left. Suddenly it wasn't Frederic standing there, but another terrified child, another little girl, crying for her father. Begging him to save her from the horrors of the world. All alone and by herself…

" _Papa!" The child cried. The ground was cracking around her and she was going to fall to her death. The planet they were visiting was an isolated one, with a barely sophisticated people on it. Prone to much volcanic activity._

" _Papa! Please save me!" the child cried again. A man stood on the other side, his face was obscured by some sort of invisible force. Not allowing you to glimpse him completely. His desperate pleas for the child to remain still and to reassure her she would be alright could be heard. The child only cried harder. A large crack with bubbling magma opened not a metre from her._

 _The man screamed in terror, before he threw himself over the gap and hung on only by his fingertips. He heaved himself up over the ridge cradling the small terrified child in his arms._

" _Papa, papa." The child sobbed. He soothingly held her as she cried into his warm body. He coughed as the noxious gases began to enter their lungs. He picked her up trying to protect her as much as he could._

 _He looked around frantically for an escape, his movement causing the child to jerk awake. She began to cry again before the man placed his hands on her forehead and a drowsiness over took her. The bliss of darkness welcoming as the familiar wheezing noise started as the ash and smoke cleared and fresh air was breathed._

" _Oh, my Riana, my Keldosa, why?" The soft voice whispered as he laid the small child to rest._

The painful memory abruptly cut off as I was left standing in the position I had been in before, with the still terrified boy looking down and the Doctor trying to think of a way to save him. I was shocked, I had forgotten about that, that terrified child had been me!

I wouldn't let this child be separated from his father, even if it killed me. I promised that I would help this man all I could. I ran forward even as the Doctor and Jackson realised what I was doing. Fire burned around me, sparks catching my already stained and torn dress. I raised my hands and created the biggest telekinetic field I could around the terrified boy.

"Riana, what are you doing? You can't hold him like that." The Doctor said frantically shouted, but I ignored him. I had always been the best at this out of all the children in my neighbourhood.

It seemed to be working, as the terrified boy was slowly lifting into the air above the platform. Crying out in fear as he did so. I slowly, my arms straining with effort began to bring him towards me. It was slow going as I constantly had to measure how strong the field was so he didn't become crushed or fall through it. Eventually I managed to lower him enough that when I cut off the field he fell safely into his father's waiting arms. I was shaking and covered in sweat after that effort. The whole place was coming down around us.

The Doctor grabbed both of us and pulled us out of the crashing building. We emerged from the smoke and fire relatively unscathed. Even small Frederic was only shaken, not seriously hurt, thanks to the telekinetic barrier I put around him, to protect him from the flames.

We collapsed against the cold snow, gasping in clean air and thanking the stars we were still alive. The Doctor was smiling the biggest grin I had ever seen him wear. He was laughing at the sight of father and son embracing in a tearful reunion on Christmas Day. I laughed along with them.

"Merry Christmas!" The Doctor said. I also wished them both the same, even if I didn't exactly know the significance of the pagan festival.

The Doctor suddenly came towards me and pulled me to my feet as dirty and sweaty as I was and hugged me tightly. I was shocked to feel a wetness on my forehead. Was he crying?

When I looked it was difficult to make out in the darkness. I slowly returned the firmness of the hug. It had been too long since someone had hugged me properly and right in that moment I needed it and didn't care if it looked like something else.

"That was a brilliant thing you did back there. You know that, right?" he said softly. I nodded into his chest. He drew back to look into my eyes. His deep brown meeting my light blue. He pressed a kiss to my forehead again.

"But I would expect nothing less from my magnificent Riana, who always manages to save the day. Just when I'm about to give up hope." He said with a smile.

"I did it because I promised myself I would never watch another child suffer if I could do something to prevent it. NO child should ever have to live like that and no father should be without his child, just as no child should be without her father." I whispered a piercing misery filling my heart as the old wound reopened. The Doctor only held me tighter.

"Shh, its ok. That's over Riana, it's not you. Fredric and Jackson have one another, they're gonna be ok." He said softly. Something suspicious in me suspected he knew the truth about what had happened with my father. Why it was such a terrible subject for me to discuss. For now, I would leave it be not willing to risk opening more old wounds, that should long be buried.

We eventually collected ourselves and started to make our way back towards the cellar and towards the house we had left. Jackson carrying his son and the Doctor holding my hand, in what I was thinking was a form of reassurance to my presence. We dodged the burning debris field around us. As we walked I couldn't help but notice my dress was truly a lost cause now. Even I didn't think I would be repairing it any time soon.

As we finally reached the cellar in 15 Latimer Street, the Doctor told Jackson and I to head for the surface while he grabbed a sceptre like object off the floor. I could hear the shaking from the tunnel we had just existed as the flames of the explosion almost reached us.

"Come on, Doctor! Hurry up!" Jackson shouted. The Doctor managed to get out just in time.

We all glanced up when a loud voice boomed out of the night. A very familiar voice of the Cyber controlled Miss Hartigan now calling herself the CyberKing.

"Behold! I am risen! Witness me, mankind, as CyberKing of all." She said.

The four of us finally reached the river where a monstrous, steam punk Cyberman stood towering over all of London.

"For the love of Grandfather and all the Light in the ENTIRE Seven Worlds, will this night not ever end? Or does that _poshtak tek tek,_ plan on ever using her brains that she claims are so superior to everyone, to actually think about the consequences of building such a stupid device. All I want it to have a shower and go to bed." I complained. I think the Doctor agreed with me as his hand tightened slightly, but he made no comment towards my statement.

"It's a CyberKing." The Doctor finally explained.

"And a CyberKing is what?" Jackson asked clearly turned around by this new set of events.

"It's a ship! Dreadnought class! Front line of an invasion. And inside the chest, a Cyberfactory, ready to convert millions!" The Doctor said angrily. I huffed in irritation getting ready to implement whatever the Doctor's new crazy plan would entail.

Hartigan's irritating voice could still be heard as the whole monster began to walk through he city. The faint cries of the people reached my ears. "And I will walk! I will stride across this tiny little world!" she exclaimed.

We began to run again.

* * *

The Doctor finally slowed as he glanced at the CyberKing again, a steel sort of determination in his eyes.

"Take him south, go to the parkland." The Doctor said turning to Jackson, who held his son like a life line.

"But where are you going?!" Jackson asked us. I replied before the Doctor could already instinctively knowing the answer.

"We're gonna stop that thing, anyway we can." I said. The Doctor looked sternly at me at my words.

"I should be with you!" Jackson said determination evident in his voice. I shook my head softly coming forward to place my hand upon his shoulder.

"Jackson, you've got your son. You've got a reason to live." I stated in as calm a voice as possible. "I promised that I would do everything in my power to see you suffering no more. Well you have a second chance. Be brave. Be brilliant, don't lose sight of that, you're a good man. One of the best I've ever known an I know you will not let him down and do what you must for him." I said. Jackson looked surprised at my long statement but didn't argue. Instead turning towards and asking.

"And you haven't?" He asked of us both. The Doctor only looked forlornly as me and seemed to come to a decision on a matter. Jackson read the bland expression and my own startled one at the Doctor's countenance, before simply stating "God save you Doctor, Riana." He turned around and left with his son, heading south, to safety.

As I was about to turn and follow the Doctor he stopped me.

"Riana, I can't tell you how sorry I am about all of this. I didn't mean for your first trip to be so dangerous and nearly have us die so many times. But I must ask you this one time to listen to me when I say stay here. I mean it. I wished to show you so many things, but I guess they'll have to wait. But Riana you have all those times ahead of you and you get to live them all. If you come with me, you might die and then time will change. I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen! I've lost too much already. Sacrificed to much just for a chance…." He trailed off in sadness as he leaned towards me. My heart was pounding in my chest at his words.

He didn't want me to help him? I thought he said I was brilliant and always saved the day. There were still so many questions I had. Who was he to me? What exactly had happened in the past to make him this way. What were the Time Lords and how did we end up in this situation in the first place? Could I ever go home? I wouldn't let him just leave me like this. I refused!

"Doctor…" I started to say but he cut me off again. His fingers coming to cup my jaw in a firm grip. I felt the blood warming my cheeks in a blush at his intimate position.

"Please Riana, just this once. Do as you're told. I'm sorry for this, but…if I never again get the chance then this might be my last opportunity." He said as he finally lowered his mouth to mine. His lips were firm and insistent in their mission to conquer my mouth. I had never been kissed quite like this.

He drove me wild with his soft sweet mouth which devoured my own. He coaxed my lips to part so he could slip his silken tongue inside. I gasped as this invasion and could only surrender to his burning fierce passion as he fought to dominate me with his mouth.

I could hardly think straight as feelings of arousal flared low in my belly and my stomach quivered at his touch. Even though his fingers only tangled themselves in my snarled cerulean locks. My heart was pounding and my head was hurting from trying to tell myself to stop enjoying this complete stranger's kiss, which meant nothing.

I broke away from him suddenly, shoving him hard so he almost tripped over backwards. I was suddenly angry. How dare he! I wasn't some damsel in distress that was incapable of doing anything and he wasn't just going to leave me behind.

"What was that?!" I cried in confusion. The Doctor looked slightly guilty as his actions.

"You know what, I don't want to know. But if you think for one moment, that after all we've seen and done tonight I'm just going to let you run off into the night and leave me alone in a time and place I don't know anything about, you've got another thing coming Time Boy. I am not going to stand by while all these people get killed and you might as well. Whatever rubbish about all those times to come, they don't matter because they haven't happened for me yet. We here, right now, right here and we're all that matters at this moment to stop that psychotic bitch from destroying this world and all the wonderful people on it. So I'm telling you to get your _dwinni_ arse up and help me save this planet!" I ordered him. He only blink in shock before nodding to show he understood.

"Ahem, how about we just forget that kiss, Ok. Honestly it was just a friendly gesture…" HE tried. I snorted in obvious disbelief.

"Not on your life _chulki."_ I said as his mouth fell open in shock. "I am never letting you forget the fact, you randomly kiss strange girls you have never met before, in life threatening situations." The Doctor flushed as we began to run again. He took the lead as he obviously had a plan.

* * *

We entered the same stables that we had left from earlier. It was empty this time and the Doctor immediately set to work on tearing apart one of Jackson's suitcases.

"What are you looking for?" I asked as I watched on.

"All the infostamps I can find. Here, you might need these." He said as he tossed me a belt of them. I put it over my head one side resting on my left shoulder, the other hung on my right hip. The Doctor had done the same, when a man's scared question alerted us to another presence in the room.

"What the hell is that thing, sir?" Jed from before asked. I remembered my anger at this man and resolved to deal with him later. But the Doctor had other ideas, eyes alight with a plan.

"Oh, good man. Jed, wasn't it? Jed, I need your help!" The Doctor said. Poor Jed's eyes widened in terror at the prospect.

"I'm not going out there!" He yelled. The Doctor sensing he needed more persuasion offered to give him a five pound note. I could see the wavering of Jed's decision.

"Um... All right. What d'you want me to do?" he finally relented. I snorted, I at least knew not to trust this man if there was no currency involved now, he was a coward through and through.

"The TARDIS is gonna fly!" The Doctor yelled back happily as he took off out into the courtyard of the stables.

"What? That's your crazy plan, fly into the mouth of the monster with infostamps and hope to overload the CyberKing's head?" I said in bewilderment. I was not exactly ok with this, surely the Doctor had a better plan.

"Mostly, got a problem with that?" He asked as he set about throwing the sceptre, and infostamps into the basket of the balloon. I shook my head.

"You are more than _tookihal,_ you are _kanwaii!"_ I said with finality. "But I suppose I can't talk you out of this, this time, can I?" The Doctor only grinned madly.

"We have to give them a chance, Riana. It's what we do. One chance and if they don't take it, we stop them." With that he helped me into the basket.

"You're flamin' bonkers, sir, ma'am!" Jed shouted from the ground.

"It's been said before! Now gimme. Not enough power, come on! Jed! Let her loose!" He said from where he was busy prepping the balloon for flight.

"Ever flown one of these before?" Jed asked. I shook my head. We both looked at the Doctor. "Nope! Never!" he replied.

"Can I have my money now?" Jed asked, whining slightly.

"Can you only really think about money at a time like this, you big lout? There are people's lives at stake, so quit your whinging." I said as I helped the Doctor pull the roped into the basket of the TARDIS.

"Oh, get on with it!" The Doctor snapped, fed up with man's snivelling nature.

Jed untied the last rope as I looked up to see that we had started to float up into the air. The giant CyberKing not far in front of us.

"God's luck to you, sir, ma'am!" Jed cried out as he laughed in some incredulity at the what we were attempting. The Doctor nodded towards the young man as we continued to ascend.

"Riana, the sandbags, get rid of them." The Doctor ordered as he himself started to chuck them over the side. I complied and found we rose faster. The Doctor looked around to judge the direction we were heading. I started to pray we would get this right.

An alarm started to go off and Miss Hartigan's voice could be heard telling the monstrous metal machine to turn around and face us. The Doctor checked the sceptre device again but muttered to himself in irritation that the device wasn't fully charged yet. I readied my infostamps as did the Doctor in preparation to face the wicked woman.

"Excellent. The Doctor and his little blue haired minx! Yet another man come to assert himself against me in the night." She said. I growled at the stupidity of this woman.

"Who are you calling a minx, you cyber hag. And I'm not his little anything, or does everything about you revolve around telling men that they are inferior? So much for women's liberation, you're no better than them." I shouted in reply angrily.

"Miss Hartigan, we're offering you a choice." The Doctor said talking over my angry rant, to distract the enraged woman. "You might have the most remarkable mind this world has ever seen. Strong enough to control the Cybermen themselves!" he said with no amount of awe in his voice. While I disagreed with offering this horrible woman a choice, I couldn't deny that controlling something with no emotions, took a fair amount of will power to accomplish.

"I don't need you to sanction me." She stated.

"No, but such a mind deserves to live!" The Doctor pleaded with her. Trying to get her to see reason and appeal to her vanity. "The Cybermen came to this world using a Dimension Vault. I can use that device to find you a home. With no people to convert. But a new world where you can live out your mechanical life in peace." He continued.

"She isn't going to agree, she's too far gone Doctor. Killed too many, done too many horrible things to be able to redeem herself." I said. The Doctor looked at me disapprovingly of my opinion.

"Be that as it may, she must make that choice. As you well know Riana, no one is ever too far gone to ever redeem themselves completely in favour of a new path." He said with a touch of anger in his tone. I flinched. I knew what the Doctor was referring to and it hurt that he would use that against me at this time. But he was right, no one was ever too far gone not to be given a second chance to make amends for their sins.

"I have the world below, and it is abundant with so many minds, ready to become extensions of me. Why would I leave this place?" She said as though such a thought was beneath her very being.

"Because if you don't, we'll have to stop you. Check your facts, we're the Doctor and Riana and we've done it before" The Doctor exclaimed.

"What do you make of me, sir? An idiot?" The amused woman said.

"Yes, and so much more the fool for rejecting this one chance Miss Hartigan!" I said loudly as I aimed the infostamps at her.

"The question is, what do you make of us?" The Doctor said as he too raised his infostamps in her direction.

"Destroy them!" she ordered. The Doctor sighed in defeat as he pressed the button and a beam of light shot out from the end of it. I also did the same and another beam of light hit Miss Hartigan in the centre of her new headdress.

"You make us into this." The Doctor said with no remorse in his voice.

"Then I have made the both of you failures. Your weapons are useless." She declared sitting still upon her throne unharmed. I looked on in surprise, wasn't she supposed to be defeated. But the Doctor didn't look like we had failed.

"I wasn't trying to kill you. All I did was break the Cyber-connection, leaving your mind open. Open, I think, for the first time in far too many years, so you can see. Just look at yourself. Look at what you've done." He said. I looked on in slight horror as the now normal Miss Hartigan began to scream in terror as the Cybermen began to turn on her.

"I'm sorry Miss Hartigan, but you brought this on yourself." I said softly.

"Look at what you've become." The Doctor finished. The balloon rocked slightly as the power that Miss Hartigan had been channelling backlashed and began to destroy the Cybermen. The CyberKing started to collapse upon itself as the screams of the people below us reached my ears.

"Doctor!" I shouted in alarm. I created a field around the CyberKIng as best I could to stop it immediately killing everyone. I wouldn't be able to hold it long. Just long enough to give people a chance to flee from under its wake. I could feel the strain and the Doctor looked on in surprise.

A sudden beeping from the sceptre alerted the Doctor and he cried out in relief.

"Oh. Now you're ready!" He said in annoyance as he pointed the dimension vault like a gun and aimed the energy waves at the colossus. The CyberKing began to disappear just as the Doctor shouted for me to release the field. I did so and finally after everything that had happened this day, London was saved.

I collapsed against the bottom of the basket in relief and in exhaustion. I hadn't slept in hours and I felt like I had been put through a shredder. I laughed softly at the fact I was still alive and at the impossibility of the events. This Doctor was sure mad, but amazingly impossible all the same. He leaned against the edge of the balloon looking out into the early morning light. I could smell the smoke from the houses and feel the cold wind from the snow.

"We did it Doctor, against every odd, we saved London, and Jackson, Rosita and his son can live in peace now." I said happily. The Doctor turned to me with a slight smile on his face. He knelt down beside me and took one of his hand in mine, placing a chaste kiss on it again.

"What would I do without you, my Riana?" He said softly. I blushed under his intense gaze before looking away.

"Oh, I'm sure you would still have figured out a way to save them all." I brushed off his praise. He laughed.

"Always the modest one you are. But give yourself the credit this time, we both saved London and this is only your first time meeting me. I wanted to thank you, for trusting me when you hardly know me. I know it can't have been easy, especially with my…actions" He said as he himself looked away embarrassedly.

"Doctor, I think I'm starting to understand that some things are best left unknown until the time is right for them to be revealed. Don't you agree?" I said as I went to stand up. I wanted to make light of the serious matter that had been shown today between the Doctor and I. Whatever sort of relationship we might have one day, on this day I think I could safely say it was the start of an interesting friendship.

"Friends?" I said offering my hand out for him to accept. The Doctor looked between my hand and my face in some thought before he firmly gripped my hand pulling himself up. He shook.

"I think I can live with that." He replied. We both grinned madly at each other before starting to laugh.

"So, a balloon over primitive London on another planet. I certainly think this qualifies as an awesome first trip. _Melu_!" I said excitedly. The Doctor gazed off thoughtfully again as was suddenly distracted by the thunderous applause wafting from below. I gasped as I realised it was the cities inhabitants that were clapping for us and what we had done. While I might still wish to go home and be amongst people I did know, there was something truly brilliant about being acknowledged for your efforts.

The faint voice of Jackson could be heard amongst the applause. "Bravo, bravo sir, ma'am!" The Doctor waved down and I joined him in Jackson's praise. I stood up suddenly as an idea came to me, I grasped the clapper of the bell and rung it loudly. The Doctor laughed at my action.

He leaned back on the edge of the basket in no apparent need to rush down from our position floating amongst the night.

"Where to next Doctor?" I asked.

"For once, I think I am going to just enjoy not having to rush to anything. It isn't often that I get that chance." He replied. I joined him looking out over the activity below.

"I think I can live with that." I said as we continued to drift aimlessly.

* * *

Eventually the Doctor brought us down on the outskirts of London city. The Gas in the balloon was allowed to escape as we made our way back to original market place where our adventure had begun. The Doctor was content to walk hand in hand in relative silence as we watched people begin to re-emerge and right the toppled over stalls and destroyed debris littering the snow-covered ground.

The faint chatter of people's conversations reached our ears. Before we eventually ran into Jackson again. He hugged both the Doctor and I exuberantly and praised us for all the days to come for destroying the dreaded machine. I laughed with him and affectionately kissed his cheek in thanks. I reminded him that he was also responsible for saving London and to take could care of Frederic, from now on. He promised he would.

"The city will recover, as London always does. Though the events of today will be history, spoken of for centuries to come!" He said proudly. The Doctor looked off awkwardly.

"Yeah. Funny that." He said. I raised an eyebrow at him in question, but he chose to ignore it.

"And a new history begins for me. I find myself a widower, but with my son and with a good friend." Jackson continued. We both turned to look at Rosita holding Frederic standing beside Jed.

"Now, take care of that one. She's marvellous." The Doctor stated amusedly. I only laughed I agreement.

"Only if you agree to be as considerate to this stunning young woman beside you Doctor who can apparently keep you on your toes well enough." Jackson half-jokingly replied. The Doctor looked slightly remiss on something before he squeezed my hand affectionately.

"Always do. Although it's more like her to take care of me and keep me on my toes." He said.

"Gee thanks." I muttered. Both men laughed.

"Frederic will need a nursemaid and I can think of none better. But you're welcome to join us. We thought we might all dine together, at the Traveller's Halt, a Christmas feast, in celebration, and in memory of those we have lost. You won't stay?" Jackson asked as the Doctor looked away. I for one wanted a hot meal and a bath.

"I would love to Jackson." I said elbowing the Doctor in the side to get him to agree with me.

"Like I said, you know me. Always things to do." The Doctor replied evasively. I was confused, why would the Doctor be trying to avoid spending more time with these amazing people? We had by this point approached the alley where the Doctor had first parked the TARDIS. I was openly staring in both awe and fear at the familiar blue box. I had only seen but a few days ago, in actuality, but felt like a lifetime ago. How could this be the same box? I hadn't been paying enough attention in the beginning to realise the ship when we had first arrived. Too much in shock to utilise my observational skills.

"No, I don't think anyone does. Oh! And this is it! Oh, if I might, Doctor? One last adventure?" Jackson said in wonder at the sight.

"Oh, be my guest." The Doctor said unlocking the door. I was too stunned to coherently make a sentence, probably looking like a moron gaping like a _swanali space fish._ For when the door opened the sheer size of the ship was revealed to me. This man just kept becoming more impossible and more impossible.

"Oh... Oh, my word. Oh. Oh, goodness me. But this is... But this is nonsense!" He exclaimed in wonder. I joined him in looking around the familiar console room.

"It's bigger on the inside!" I said sheer amazement. "I never noticed before." I breathed. The Doctor looked amused at both our reactions. At Jackson's description, he looked slightly hurt at the lack of descriptive wonder.

"Well, that's one word for it. Yeah. Although I suppose you didn't have much chance before Riana to look at the old girl." He questioned. I spun around to stare at him in question. How had I seen this box before? If it belonged to the Doctor did that mean I had met him before now?

"How? I saw this box not but three days ago. But I couldn't have, I only just met you?" I asked of him. He sighed but said nothing.

"Complete and utter, wonderful nonsense! How very, very silly! Oh, no. I can't bear it! Oh, it's causing my head to ache. No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." The overwhelmed Jackson said as he clutched his head and ran out. The Doctor followed him. I slowly walked towards the door a well.

Jackson leaned against the wall as he gazed between the two of us. "Oh! Oh, gracious. That's quite enough." The Doctor closed the door behind us. "I take it this is goodbye." Jackson asked.

"Onwards and upwards. "He replied sadly.

"People to see, places to be." I added.

"Tell me one thing, both of you. All those facts and figures I saw of The Doctor's life, you were never alone. All those bright and shining companions! But not any more? What happened? What about the woman I saw in my vision?" Jackson queried. I had no answer to give. I also wondered about other companions as well? What did that make me then?

"Not anymore. Just Riana and I as it has been for a long time now. Than only me again when she leaves. As for the woman, forget about her. She's long gone and I don't think will ever be returning." He said. I looked between them.

"I'm sort of new at this Jackson. Like you are. We don't always travel together in the right order, or so the Doctor tells me. But such is the life of a time traveller, right Doctor?" I asked, he nodded.

"Might I ask, why not?" Jackson pushed.

"They leave. Because they should, or they find someone else, or they have to. And some of them… Some of them forget me. I suppose, in the end…they break my hearts." He said with such pain in his voice that I felt like crying. How could one man carry such pain every day for as long as he lived?

"Not everyone will leave you." I said softly as I held his hand to try and help soothe the ache. His eyes were so intense that it was difficult to gaze upon them without being overwhelmed. He appeared so young, yet his eyes were so old. He raised the back of my hand to kiss it in thanks.

"Not even you Riana know all of what the future holds. Don't make promises you can't keep." He reminded me gently.

"That offer of Christmas dinner, it's no longer a request, it's a demand." Jackson exclaimed.

"In memory of those we've lost. Oh, go on then!" The Doctor said resignedly. I laughed in joy at this happy ending, to the tragic day.

"Not just in loss, but in those we have gained this day as well." I reminded the both of them.

"Too right Miss Tahlay, and I would be honoured if you would join us as well. I know Rosita would be particularly happy with your presence. Something about the common sense of a woman." He said winking.

"I think that is a great idea. However, I might have to remind you all the trouble started with the lack of common sense from one woman in the first place. So I think we're even on that front." I said happily, as I linked my arms through the Doctor as we turned to follow Jackson back the way we came from.

"Just this once. You've actually gone and changed my mind. Not many people can do that! Jackson, if anyone had to be The Doctor, I'm glad it was you." The Doctor said.

"The feast awaits. Come with me! Walk this way." He said as he lead us on.

"Merry Christmas to you, Jackson." The Doctor called.

"Merry Christmas, indeed, Doctor, Miss Tahlay!" He cheerfully replied.

"Merry Christmas to all." I declared, much to the amusement of both men. "Hopefully every Christmas is not this this eventful." The Doctor only groaned in dismay.

"I wish you hadn't just said that Riana, you might come to regret it." He said. I only shrugged as we continued to walk into the darkness. If there was one thing I knew, it was that nothing was ever going to be the same again.

 **Next Chapter: The Beast Below- Hello, Bowtie man.**

 **Akheet Word List**

 **Vespin** – The equivalent of Hell.

 **Chulki** – Sexy/foxy/lover of romantic attention*

 **Dwinni –** skinny, short or child like

 **Melu-** An expression largely used to describe the feeling of delight one gets when encountering something unexpectant or astonishing.

 **Tookihal-** Strange or crazy to the extreme. Beyond what is considered normal.

 **Kanwaii-** Insanely mad.

 **Poshtak-** Akheet term for high and might or themselves.

*The name is often used in an affectionate way, to describe someone who is a bit of a flirt. Which is what Riana calls the Doctor after he kisses her.


	5. The Beast Below- Hello, Bowtie Man

**AN/ Hello all. Here is the next chapter in my story. Sorry it has taken so long to update, but I have had University to contend with at the moment and it can make finding a few spare hours to write a story a bit difficult. Never the less I have endeavoured to bring you chapter five and voila I have succeeded :)**

 **This one explores Riana's new reality of her life as she adjusts to travelling with the Doctor. She also gets to meet Amy and 11 for the first time, so yay! Please let me know if you think any of the characters are not quite right or are way off. I have diligently slaved over this trying to make sure they stay in character while incorporating Riana into the episode.**

 **With out futher ado enjoy.**

 **jd009**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: The Beast Below- Hello, Bowtie Man**

Both of us were laughing hard as we entered the TARDIS. I was filthy, covered in snow, soot, smoke and had rips and tears in my once blue dress. My hair was a lost cause. I probably had the equivalent of all of London's dirt caught in it, Akhaten knows, I had been everywhere this last two days. From sewers to fancy mansions. All I knew was that the Doctor, a man whom I had only just met (although he had met me before) and I had just saved a whole planet with the help of the wonderfully brilliant Jackson Lake and his companion Rosita.

They had invited us to a Christmas dinner, to commemorate all those that had died this day and to all those we had met because of it; namely the Doctor and I. To say my life had become simple was a lie, it was even more complicated than before. The Doctor had finally agreed to go and what passed was one of the heartiest meals I'd had in a long time.

We'd finally said our goodbyes and left to head back to the TARDIS, the Doctor's impossible blue box, which also happened to be a time machine and massively bigger on the inside than the outside. Long story don't ask.

I'd had more fun with the Doctor, Jackson and Rosita this day than I'd had most of my life and I am sad to say I would miss them. But as the Doctor said we had places to be and people to see. Such was the life of a time traveller apparently. The Doctor unlocked the doors and let us inside. The familiar humming greeted us, which as the Doctor had explained to me, was because the TARDIS was actually alive. She was a sentient being whom often interacted with her passengers. Although she did not communicate by speech, but a form of telepathy, something I didn't possess.

The Doctor was hitting switches as he sent the TARDIS back into the time vortex. He explained what he was doing as he went. I sat down in what I would call the pilots seat as he went about his task. Simply enjoying watching him do so. It was bizarre, I shouldn't trust this man so easily, but something about him said that I could. Some part of me felt connected to him, beyond what even words could describe. The funny thing was, after some of the ways the Doctor treated me, it made me open to the possibility that somewhere in my future or his past, our relationship wasn't so platonic. Truthfully, I didn't want to think too hard about it. It was difficult enough to get my head around the whole jumping around someone else's timeline, or the fact he knew my darkest secret. Without complicating matters by bringing up the uncomfortable reality that I might also one day feel the same.

I didn't really do relationships. Not that I had never had them before, just that most of them hadn't really ended well for me. Reen was a prime example of this, I'd gone out with him for just over 3 years and for a time we'd been happy. Reen was a Quanian, one of the most respected races out of the Seven Systems. I was a Zell, slightly less than respected by most individuals, it had made for some…interesting times. Reen was arrogant, overbearing and to be frank a terrible flirt. All the things that had attracted me to him in the first place, but after I had caught him cheating on me not once, but twice with various individuals, I had grown less amazed by his charm and ended things with him before it went too much farther. He was still trying to win me back. It didn't help that I still had to work with the guy. Relationships required time and effort and a sense of commitment to one or more people at a time. It was messy and could get ugly fast when things went wrong, so in my experience it was easier to avoid them rather than seek them out. The fact that the strange alien man, seemed to show a more than fond liking for me distressed me greatly, it also didn't help that I was a little attracted to the ridiculous idiot.

I would have been happy to continue contemplating my situation if the Doctor didn't suddenly turn to me and stare at me in expectation. I raised one of my brows in question to his silent assessment.

"Aren't you going to change?" He asked me. I suppose it wouldn't hurt, when I looked down to grimace at the state of my dress.

"Umm, I don't have any other clothes, Doctor." I reminded him. He seemed to be surprised before he muttered to himself about this being my first time aboard his ship.

"Well than I think I can help you out, I'll take you to your room. Yes. That's a good place to start. I suppose I will also have to give you a tour sooner or later as well. There is a shower in there as well which you can use." He said as he exited the bridge room down one of the many corridors of the enormous ship.

"I'm surprised you haven't started bombarding me with your usual question by now Riana." He said cheekily. I looked at him in bemusment.

"Give me time to take all of this in, Doctor. I assure you I have plenty, but I'm trying to avoid making your ears bleed." I answered ruefully. He only chuckled at my apparent joke. I mentally shrugged, learning to just sort of roll with the punches the Doctor caused.

Before long we stood before an extremely familiar door. This was the room I had woken up in, the one with too many of my possessions that shouldn't possibly be there. I backed up slightly feeling an acute sense of terror. The Doctor having not yet noticed my reaction was still talking.

"… well here we are, all yours. Fairly simple enough to find. The TARDIS has made you a room according to your specifics. Everything you need will be inside. The bathroom should be on the left-hand side and the wardrobe on the right. Just don't mind the mess haven't really had a chance to do much house cleaning since you, er…came. Ahem. Anyway, just let me know if you need anything, I'll be in the console room. When you have cleaned up you might want to take a nap, I know its been a while since you have slept, when you feel up to it we will talk after, ok?" The Doctor said. By the time, he had finished I was all but ready to flee.

I couldn't exactly say why I was so afraid of this room, it just terrified me and all the secrets it held inside spoke of another life and another person, almost as though a dead spirit lived within. The Doctor had spotted my terror and hastened to reassure me.

"Riana? What's wrong, is it something I have said?" He asked me softly. I shook my head and simply stared more intensely at the foreboding door, which in reality wasn't that terrifying.

"I have been here before. This was the first room I woke up in." I whispered. A look of realisation came over the Doctor's face. He sighed before running both hands through his hair and covering his face briefly. He came forward and took my hands in a firm grip.

"Yes, this is your room. Look I can't explain everything now, too complicated could mess up the whole of space time etc… but what you need to know is that you are completely safe, everything in this room was placed by you. It was given to you by the TARDIS when you first started to travel with us. She is good at things like that… sort of gets inside your head…anyway, what, what's wrong?" He asked me when I stood with my mouth gapping open in surprise.

"You, you said that before. All of this." I half choked out.

"What do you mean I have said all of this before?" the Doctor asked again in confusion. Now I knew something strange was going on. The first time had been when I had touch my locket as it had glowed. I looked down know to see that it pulsed dully. I raised my right hand to grasp it tightly and felt a spark of hot energy race up my arm and into my head. I got a brief flash of déjà vu, as I glimpsed my past self-standing in this exact same spot hearing the Doctor's voice for the first time.

"I-it's just when I first came out of this room, my locket was glowing so I touched it and I heard your voice, although I didn't know it was you at first, saying what you just said. It confused me and scared me after seeing all those things in this room. Things that I haven't seen in years or have even thought lost forever." I replied.

"The powers of that locket are old and mysterious and some might even argue transcend the universe itself. I can't tell you why it shows you things it does, only that it is never without a reason and it is always right. But I can tell you, you have nothing to fear from it." He said to calm me. That still didn't particularly relieve me but I trusted that the Doctor knew what he spoke of. Too many things had occurred for him to be simply a stranger to me anymore. He obviously knew me very well in the future as did I apparently.

"Don't worry on it. Anyway, thank you again for putting up with all my antics today. It has certainly been entertaining." I said half-jokingly to try and change the clearly uncomfortable topic. I walked forward taking a deep breath and trying to steel myself for what lied beyond the strange door.

The handle turned just as easily as I remembered it too and the room had not changed since I had first hurriedly left it. A fire was burning merrily in the hearth and beautiful arrangements of flora still adorned various parts of the room. The bookshelves were still filled to the brim with various reading materials, some in languages I wasn't even sure I could ever pronounce. The workbench in the corner, and the double bed with its white curtains on either side. Nothing had changed other when what I might have disturbed last when I had fled from this room.

The Doctor was quiet beside me as he followed me into the room as if to make sure I didn't faint upon entering the premises. When I apparently did no such thing he seemed to breathe a little easier. I wondered in taking a bit longer to gaze over the room. There were smaller details I had missed the first time. The holofield of stars that spun endlessly on the roof above my head, portraits of my mother and various friends from Tianaamat. A picture of Akhaten adorned another wall. Various collections of blown glass ornaments. Jingling chimes that hung over the workbench. There were others but I am not sure I could have absorbed any more as I began to feel slightly light headed.

The Doctor's firm grip on my arm steadied me. I looked over at him as if to question how this room could be so completely mine, yet so alien to me? As if a twin of me had suddenly taken over my life.

"It's ok Riana, take it slow. Try not to look to hard. Some of the things in here are very spoilerish and you shouldn't go through them. But this is your room. Bathrooms through there and next to it is the wardrobe. I'll be in the console room if you need me." He said softly as he slowly released his grip on my arm and walked back out of the room. I was left alone to try and regain my senses and not think too hard about all the possible spoilers from my apparently future.

Reluctantly I tore my eyes away from the room and made my way determinedly over to where the bathroom was. The clothes that had been there before were gone. I wondered at that, decided to leave it for another time, when I wasn't so overwhelmed by new information. A clean drying cloth was left out for me. I headed to the cleaning unit and managed without much difficulty to turn the hot water on. Bottles of sweet smelling lotions and cleaning agencies for what I presumed were my hair and body lined the shelves. The smell of _almali_ flowers reached my nose and I inhaled deeply. It was my favourite scent, something my mother wore that I had always loved as a child. I stripped off my ruined and torn dress and left it on the ground with my other soiled garments.

The hot water did wonders for my aching body and washed most of the filth from my hair. I swear as I looked down the water was almost a black colour. Uh, something I so didn't want to think about. I applied the various lotions to my hair and skin and came out feeling the most clean in what I swear was cycles. I used the drying cloth to wring the excess water from hair and skin and went in search of something to wear.

The wardrobe was huge. All clothing of all shades and styles, although much of them were various forms of dresses. I walked down the various rows running my hands over them. But none felt right at that moment. I yawned alerting me to the fact that the Doctor had been right. I had been running on adrenaline for days and hadn't had a chance to sleep hardly at all. I was only now feeling the full effects of it. I decided that I would try and find something comfortable to sleep in. Following the gentle nudges from what I assumed was the TARDID, let me further towards the back. I found a drawer open and filled with various sleepwear. I chose at random the first thing on top, which was a beautiful yet simple white cotton nightgown. It flowed down to just above my ankles with a hem that flared out slightly. It had long white sleeves that tightened at my wrists. The neckline was ruffled slightly but still had plenty of stretch to it. The waist was tightened before flowing out into a simple skirt. I found soft sleep shorts to put on underneath.

As I was about to leave a soft hum caught my attention to a far wall where various items of jewellery rested. One was a simple silver bracelet. I reached over and without much conscious thought placed it around my wrist as I exited the wardrobe. I made my way over to - at this point- extremely inviting bed and fell face first into the soft embrace of it. I had just enough mind to brush my hair and get under the covers before I was sound asleep.

* * *

The soft hum of the TARDIS awoke me and for a minute I could not remember exactly where I was. I was warm, safe and comfortable. I stretched slowly feeling the slow methodical pop of my joints as I sat up and was quickly reminded of my situation. I was on the TARDIS lost somewhere not in my own time, traveling with an alien man called the Doctor. I pushed the covers back and got out of bed. I quickly brushed and plaited my hair back. Not caring particularly for my attire I left the room in search of the Doctor. The hallways again looked very similar and I followed the subtle nudging in my mind, which I was now certain was the TARDIS.

In no time, I managed to enter the console room and spy the Doctor on his back fixing something under the console. As I approached I felt clearer headed then I had in sometime. Plus, I had questions I wanted answered. The Doctor noticed my presence as he pulled himself out of whatever he was tinkering with and stood to greet me properly, a wide smile on his face.

"Riana, feeling better I presume?" he asked. I returned the smile, nodded to acknowledge his question.

"Good, good. Now I presume the fact that you are still in your nightgown, says that you are finally determined as you helpfully explained before, 'make my ears bleed'." He said laughing slightly.

"You owe me some answers." I stated simply. He sighed running his hand through his hair, which I now knew was a nervous gesture.

"I do, don't I." He stated before leading me over to the pilot's seat. I sat down next to him as he made himself comfortable. He seemed to be lost for words and I took pity on him and decided to start by asking him questions first.

"Ok, I'll start Doctor. I guess my first question is, who are you exactly? I know you already explained that you were a Time Lord and that you have a time machine and that you travel the stars having adventures and saving people, but more than that I want to know, who are you to me?" I said gaining emotion as I continued. When he looked into my eyes, I was startled to see the age behind them.

"That, unfortunately, is not a question that I can tell in its entirety. Who is anyone? Are we not just the sum of our experiences? Or are we born to be something or someone greater than even we know? I am a Time Lord, which is an ancient civilisation of beings who harnessed the power of time and are able to see and direct its flow. However I am not exactly on good terms with my people." He said. I knew he was deliberately leaving parts out but I decided not to question him on it for the moment.

"But Doctor Who, exactly, is it a secret?" I asked him curious why he apparently didn't have a name. He smiled sadly but laughed slightly.

"I forget how young you are sometimes, especially the early you's." was his reply. Which wasn't exactly helpful. I sighed in irritation.

"Fine just the Doctor, I get it. But I will get it out of you one day." I promised. His eyes seemed to gleam with a terrifying light, almost completely alien to me. Promising many things which made my breath catch. And not necessarily for any nice reasons. He made no reply to my statement.

"But still, who are you to me, that you know me so well?" I asked again, trying another angle.

"I don't really have to tell you that do I Riana?" He said softly. I bit my lip slightly in hesitation reading between the lines.

"Some things need to be lived Riana. I can tell you that I trust you implicitly and that one day you will do the same for me as well. It won't always be easier, any life with me never is, but you have always said that you would never change it for anything in the universe. That it has shown you more wonders and tragedies than all the people in existence or that will ever have existed. That is what we do, what I do." He said almost reverently. The depth of emotion in his voice touched my heart and made some part of me long to be with him in those memories which were obviously very dear to him. Still who was this woman he spoke of, that so deeply touched his life? It couldn't possibly be me could it?

"Right…" I said my voice breaking slightly.

"Do you have anymore questions?" The Doctor urged me gently.

"Um, yes actually. I guess my next question is how exactly this whole time jumping works? Do I always end up with you somewhere, and if I do how do I know which you it is?" I asked in a rush.

"That's a tricky one. As far as you have told me, you have been to both my current past and future. Its linked to the locket, which is why you must never remove it. However, spoilers. I can't tell you exactly what happens as you have to figure that one out on your own. We do have a method for keeping track though. Tell me have you found the bracelet yet." He asked. I looked at him in confusion, what bracelet was he talking about exactly. He seemed to be searching me for something as he let out a triumphant noise when he found it. He pulled my right arm up where a simple silver bracelet rested. I looked dumbly at him, trying to recall exactly where I had found this.  
"It seemed the TARDIS is ahead of you for once. This Riana is how we keep track. Every time we have a significant adventure of meeting a new charm is always added with a code word shared between the both of us, to always know whether our time lines have synced." He said.

Surprisingly I could see the simplicity behind such a method. It would work I was sure. But currently there rested no 'charms' on it so what exactly was he referring to. He seemed to anticipate my question as he pulled something small and gold from his suit pocket. It was a beautiful time keeping device charm like the one Jackson Lake had possessed. However, the front of it was covered with beautiful alien circular designs. In fine blue lines that seemed to glow. I gasped softly at his thoughtfulness. He undid the bracelet with his sonic screwdriver and placed the charm on it before sonicing the clasp closed again.

"There, now you have your first one. I have been waiting a long time to give you this. The code word for this one is 'Doctor'." Keep it to yourself until I can collaborate it. He instructed me to which I nodded to confirm my understanding. He kissed my hand again before letting it go. My heart felt like it was about burst out of my chest, he was definitely a _chulki._

"Thankyou. Um, anyway, I guess my last question is about this so-called regeneration I keep hearing about. What exactly is it and why did you think Jackson Lake was you?" I said. This time the Doctor blew out a huff of air.

"Hmm, ok this is a tricky one. Riana, when you encounter me it won't always be this face or this me. I might look different." He started.

"How different exactly?" I wondered.

"Like completely different man, well same person different body. You see my race have this trick which they do when there close to death. They can sort of cheat it by changing every cell in their body, so they become someone completely new. Hence new face, personality quirks and so forth." He responded. Could this man get any more impossible?

"So this 'you' isn't the only you I will meet?" I sort to clarify. He nodded. I gulped but nodded accepting the fact that he WAS an alien.

"Currently this is my tenth face. As you saw in the info stamps. Presumably I will regenerate in the future as well at some point." He said with a cheeky grin on his face. I rolled my eyes at his antics.

"That is going to make this really difficult isn't it." I stated. "But I would expect nothing less from someone as impossible as you." I continued.

"That's the spirit. I'm surprised you are taking this so well, most of my human companions don't take it nearly as well." He said. I furrowed my brow in confusion, I suppose he had said he had travelled with others before as well.

"These are your…companions?" I said struggling with the foreign term. The Doctor was just about to reply when a deep red light began to pulse from my locket. A warmth spread up my limbs growing hotter by the second as I gasped out loud in surprise from what was happening. It didn't hurt it just felt…weird.

"Doctor! What's happening?" I cried out. The Doctor seemed to be saddened by the light, but didn't seem perturbed by it.

"You're going to be ok Riana, this is how you go to another place and time in my timeline. You are going to another me now. I don't know when exactly but you WILL be ok. Do you hear me. Remember the code word and know I believe in you. I am sorry Riana, but this is where it all begins. Goodbye my beloved Azure Queen." He said as my vision was suddenly engulfed in red.

I felt like I was being compressed and stretched at the same time before as suddenly as it had begun I was unceremoniously dumped on my rear end on a cold metal floor.

* * *

"What! Where am I? Doctor? Are you there?" I called out trying to get a bearing on where I was. I could hear a strange clamour of a market and other people going about their business' around me. As I went to stand I made a disgusted sound as my bare foot landed in a dirty puddle of water.

"Uh, fantastic, so much for being clean. Note to self: Make sure to always have a pair of shoes on when time jumping." I muttered to myself. I spun in a circle as the very obviously alien market place, although it still reminded me of home slightly. Yet there was a distinct impression of fear coming off the people around me. A great unhappiness that his me pretty hard in the chest. Uh not good, but exactly what I expected when trying to find the Doctor.

Speaking of which I looked down to notice the soft dull glow of my locket. I took a deep breath before placing my hand on it.

* * *

 _Immediately I was pulled out of what felt like my body as if I was teleported to another location. I stood in warm lit room. Glass panel floors and an orange glow lit the place. The ceiling was high above me and many different staircases led out of the circular room. In the middle was a tall glass column with a green hourglass shape bubble in its centre. The centre of it, the console I realised was made up of every strange abstract object you could think of. Buttons, knobs, levers and zig-zag devices. On one side of the console was a screen that hung from the ceiling able to be moved around the console. It looked old fashioned and was currently blank._

 _A pair of voices drew my attention over to one side of the room. To the familiar TARDIS door I realised. This must be the TARDIS, only a different one to what I was used to. I looked for the Doctor only to spot a strange looking man and another girl. Both appeared to be human, yet something about the man's manner of dress and presence suggested otherwise. I wondered closer to hear what they said._

" _NOW do you believe me?" The man asked of the other red headed girl. She wore a pale white night shift with a stripped robe thrown over the top. A pair of soft material shoes on her feet. Her face was classically pretty, round with green eyes that were far too expressive. Her ears were rounded and her skin was pale. She seemed to be glancing at him in some awe._

 _The man was tall, not quite as tall and skinny as the Doctor I had just come from was. His hair was a soft brown that seemed to flop to one side of his face. His eyes were the greenest I had ever seen. Expressive, yet secretive too, concealing his true thoughts and age. He had long gangly limbs which seemed prone to being everywhere at once. He wore a dark green tweed jacket, a white shirt with a strange neck decoration on it. His pants were a dark grey that tightened at the ankles with black work boots. His voice wasn't as deep as the other Doctor's and his face was longer with frankly a bit of a ridiculous chin. But he was handsome all the same._

" _OK, your box is a spaceship. It's really, really a spaceship. We are in space! Whoo! What are we breathing?" The red-haired girl asked. It was at that moment I was almost positive this was another version of the Doctor._

" _I've extended the air shell - we're fine. Now, that's interesting. 29th Century. Solar flares roast the earth,_ _and the entire human race packs its bags and moves out till the weather improves. Whole nations..." He started to say as he squatted down to peer out of the open doors. I got closer to look over his shoulder, to see a massive spaceship flying beneath us. Just as suddenly the man got up and walked over to the controls and began to press buttons and toggle leavers. I followed behind him as I tried to pay attention to what he was saying._

" _..migrating to the stars." He finished. He seemed to be lost in thought as he didn't notice the other girl calling out his name. Somehow she had ended up outside of the TARDIS's doors again. The man whom I knew to be the Doctor now looked up as if he could sense my presence but focused again on talking out loud._

" _Doctor?" She called again._

" _Isn't that amazing?" He continued seemingly still oblivious to what was going on. I felt like smacking him on the back of the head for his obstinacy._

" _Doctor!" The girl called frantically, finally making the Doctor realise she wasn't there anymore. He rushed to the doors only to see the girl clinging to the roof of the TARDIS._

" _Well, come on. I've found us a spaceship." He states with some exasperation, but still pulls her inside. Once he does, they both head back over to the console where the Doctor had earlier been fiddling with the controls. He pulled the monitor over and displayed an image of the large spaceship for them to see._

" _This is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland - all of it, bolted together and floating in the sky. Starship UK. It's Britain, but metal. That's not just a ship - that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and...shopping. Searching the stars for a new home." He said with some wonder. The red haired girl laughed, before asking if they could go and visit it._

" _Course we can but first, there's a thing." The Doctor started to say. The girl looks at him in confusion._

" _A thing?" She asks. I too am wondering what the Doctor could be referring too._

" _An important thing. In fact, thing one – we are observers only. That's the one rule I've always stuck to in my travels. I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets. Ooh! That's interesting." He exclaims as he looked through a strange round device. I snorted in disbelief, I knew he was lying. He always got involved somehow and dragged others into it. He could never not help someone in need, he had told me that himself, unless this Doctor was so different from the one I already knew. I shuddered to think of that. I don't think I could bear it, if that was the case._

 _The screen currently showed a young girl crying all by herself. The red-haired girl leaned closer to the monitor to get a better look._

" _So, we're like a wildlife documentary, yeah? Cos if they see a wounded little cub or something, they can't just save it - they've got to keep filming and let it die. That's got to be hard. I don't think I could do that. Don't you find that hard - being all, like, detached and cold? Doctor?" She called out in confusion when she noticed him appear on the screen next to the crying little girl. The girl ran away from him as both of looked on in slight shock at the Doctor's abrupt departure._

 _The Doctor on the screen looks at the camera and waves for the red-haired girl to join him which she does gleefully as she rushes for the open doors. I try to follow but feel a tugging sensation pulling me back to my real body._

* * *

The sudden vertigo nearly had me stumbling. I managed to right myself just in time from falling into another puddle. Shaking my head, I tried to make sense of the new information I now possessed. Somehow, I had been transported to a spaceship in the middle of a market place where I had no idea where this strange Doctor was. Or how to find him. Yet somehow, I had to because I just knew he was about to drag that obviously new girl into an insanely dangerous adventure. I sighed, I guess this was where it started again. I swore to myself that if every time was like this, I was going to make his life a living Vespin.

Grandfather, this man was hard work. I glanced down at the brand-new charm I had acquired and tried to take strength from what the other Doctor had told me about my future. If he had met other versions of me, then surely, I managed to find the Doctor somehow. I knew he was close by as this locket seemed to bring me to where he was. Not always the exact location, but in his path somewhere. I diligently began to look around as I walked away from where I had been standing, trying to avoid the puddles around me, although I wasn't having much luck.

I noticed people studiously avoiding my gaze as I looked around. They seemed to be in a great hurry to get to other places. It was strange seeing old fashioned wheeled devices on a spaceship. The humans on them pedalled levers on the side, which seemed to power the device. It was dank and dim compared to the warm inviting light of the TARDIS.

As I was wondering further along the market place, I distinctly heard a familiar pair of voices. I turned my head to gaze over to where a woman and a man stood side by side next to… a blue box. Happiness filled me and a profound sense of relief as something vaguely familiar in this alien environment. I hurried over to them but managed to bump into a young girl who I realised was the one crying from the monitor before. She looked up at me in surprise before she fled.

"I'm in the future. Like hundreds...of years in the future. I've been dead for centuries." The red haired girl exclaimed. I snorted was a cheery disposition she had.

"Oh, lovely. You're a cheery one. Never mind dead, look at this place. Isn't it wrong?" The Doctor said. I had now almost reached where they were standing. The girl seemed confused as she looked around in awe at her surroundings.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Use your eyes, notice everything. What's wrong with this picture?" The Doctor tried again, attempting to make her think.

"Is it...the bicycles? Bit unusual on a spaceship, bicycles." She said referring to the odd contraptions I had noticed earlier.

"Says the girl in the nightie." The Doctor said in amusement. To my own horror as well as the girls, I was also dressed in my soft white nightgown and I didn't even have any shoes.

"Oh, my God! I'm in my nightie" she exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Now, come on, look around you. Actually look." The Doctor said somewhat impatiently. I took a moment to look around before I think I knew what he was referring to. It was the fear in the people. It screamed at me from everywhere, everything they had touched and imprinted their memories in, spoke of a repressed tightly controlled society.

"It's the fear. They're terrified. The whole place reeks of it. Dim and dark, secrets and shadows and nobody wants to comfort a crying child." I said instead, to both their surprise. Both the Doctor and the girl spun around to face me. The girl looked shocked to see me, but a bright smile lit up her face at my presence. The Doctor looked slightly wary, but his eyes seemed to contain a glint to them that spoke of happiness and relief at the sight of me. For my part I tried to smile but I think I failed spectacularly.

"Did you know, you are one hard man to find, Doctor." I stated simply.

"Riana! How did you get here, you left before said you had some other place to be?" She asked me. I looked her in confusion. Obviously thanks to the wonders of time travel, she had met me before, but this was the first time I was meeting her.

"I take we have met before." I said slowly. She seemed to realise that something wasn't quite right as she turned to the Doctor for help. For his part, he had mostly kept quiet at my appearance until that moment.

"Codeword?" was all he said. I frowned at him in confusion before remembering the other Doctor's instructions.

"Doctor." Was all I said in reply. He seemed to sigh before briefly closing his eyes. When he opened them he had changed his demeanour to be more playful and light hearted.

"It's good to see you again Riana, I imagine you are a bit confused this being pretty early for you. I suppose this is your first time meeting this me. As well as Amy, I should say. So introductions then. Amy Pond, Riana Tahlay." He said as he grandly swept his hand between us. I raised one of my eyebrows at his antics. Amy for her part only laughed before sticking out her hand.

I looked at it confusedly before she rolled her eyes.

"Aliens. You're meant to shake it. By the way, haven't we already met?" she asked me. I hesitantly shook her hand before withdrawing my own.

"No. Well actually you apparently have met me, but I haven't met you yet. Time travel and all." I said answering her questions. She seemed to understand as she nodded. I turned to the Doctor next before continuing on with what they had been discussing before.

"Anyway, thought I better catch up before you pull us all into another insane and dangerous adventure. Not sure if Amy has had many of those yet." I said before punching him on the arm. The Doctor yelped slightly.

"What, was that for?" he asked.

"The last time and making me have like a million hear attacks in 2 days alone." I said somewhat smugly. Amy only laughed.

"Right yes, well… never mind. Back to the topic at hand, once again you are spot on Riana. Life on a giant starship, back to basics. Bicycles, washing lines, wind-up street lamps. But look closer. Secrets and shadows, lives led in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. A police state. Excuse me." He said as he walked up to a person sitting at a table. He picked up a glass of what looked like water and placed it on the ground. Staring intently into it. For my part I had no idea what was going on in that insane brain of his. Before returning it back to the person.

"Sorry. Checking all the water in this area. There's an escaped fish. Where was I?" He said as he re-joined us. I snorted at his behaviour, but figured it must be a quirk of this regeneration of his. Speaking of which, this was obviously further along as he had obviously encountered this me before sometime in the past and I hadn't seen his face amongst the infostamps.

"Why did you just do that with the water?" Amy asked bewildered by his strange behaviour.

"Don't know. I think a lot. It's hard to keep track. Now, police state - do you see it yet?" He asked the both of us. I think I knew what he spoke of. I nodded while Amy still couldn't quite grasp what he was on about.

"Where?" she asked. I pointed over to where the girl I had bumped into earlier was crying all alone on a bench.

"There. She is crying all alone and no one seems to care. People don't just do that. Leave children by themselves to cry alone when they're afraid or hurt." I said. We made our way over to bench near hers as we observed her.

"One little girl crying. So?" Amy said offhandedly. I sighed she still wasn't seeing the bigger picture.

"Crying silently. I mean, children cry cos they want attention, cos they're hurt or afraid. When they cry silently, it's cos they just can't stop. Any parent knows that." He said as if it was a statement of fact. I looked up startled, especially when Amy asked him if he _was_ a parent. The Doctor to looked shocked but didn't respond to her question.

I supposed it should have occurred to me that as old as the Doctor was, and I didn't even know exactly how old, he must of at some point had other relationships and feasibly had a family of his own. What happened exactly I couldn't say, but the thought was still a slightly uncomfortable one.

"Hundreds of parents walking past this spot and not one of them's asking her what's wrong, which means...they already know, and it's something they don't talk about. Secrets. They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows - whatever they're afraid of - it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere. Police state." He concluded. I shuddered at the implications and felt horribly sorry for the poor child. I hated seeing children suffer, something I'm sure the Doctor knew of as he had silently taken my hand and grasped it with his own to offer comfort.

"Where'd she go?" Amy asked as when we turned back to look at her she had disappeared.

"Deck 207, Apple Sesame block, Dwelling 54A. You're looking for Mandy Tanner. Oh, this fell out of her pocket when I accidentally bumped into her. Took me four goes. Ask her about those things - the smiling fellows in the booths. They're everywhere." The Doctor said as he stood up and handed Amy an ID badge. I looked at him in confusion. Why was he sending Amy alone to search for answers? I was sure he would want her to be with him.

"But they're just things." Amy said with confusion. Strangely enough I hadn't noticed them either. Although looking at them now, I could detect the psychometric imprint of them and they weren't nice.

"They're clean. Everything else here is battered and filthy - look at this place. But no-one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Ask Mandy, "Why are people scared of the things in the booths?" He replied as he checked his time keeping device on his wrist. I too stood.

"I am not sure why I didn't sense it before Doctor. Those things have a strange imprint to them." I commented.

"No. Hang on - what do I do? I don't know what I'm doing here and I'm not even dressed!" Amy said in disbelief. I felt sympathy for her, but I knew this must be the way of the Doctor testing Amy's abilities, whether she could think for herself. It almost didn't seem fair that he didn't do the same for me as well. I resigned myself to going with Amy, quite sure the Doctor would be alright by himself.

"It's alright Amy, neither am I for that matter. Just do what he says, you'll be fine." I encouraged.

"It's this or Leadworth. What do you think? Let's see. What will Amy Pond choose? Ha-ha, gotcha! Meet me back here in half an hour." The Doctor said in some manner of glee at seeing Amy's stubbornness at finally giving into what he wanted. I wondered what Leadworth was? Perhaps a place where Amy came from. Whatever it was I don't think she was very fond of it.

"What are you going to do?" She asked.

"What I always do. Stay out of trouble. Badly." He said with a cheeky grin, while he leapt over the bench we had been sitting on. I rolled my eyes.

"Sure you will, you'll just be all trouble free until you need us to rescue your behind." I muttered. I started to go towards Amy but the Doctor's comment stopped me.

"What are you doing Riana? C'mon let's go, you're with me. Need someone with a good pair of eyes, I do." He said as though me being anywhere else but with him was something unthinkable. I scrunched up my face in confusion at his ready dismissal of Amy, but gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulders before reluctantly following him.

"Just find the girl and ask her the question. If something doesn't go to plan, which it will, try and do you best not to die or destroy anything before can get there and rescue you." I said as I followed after the Doctor. Amy for her part paled slightly but nodded.

"That's, wow… um, thanks for that Riana. Try not to die. Got it." She mocked saluted me.

"So is this how it works, Doctor? You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there's children crying?" Amy shouted after the Doctor. However it was me that answered her.

"We never walk away from those who need us Amy. That's what the Doctor teaches us. Especially when there are children crying. We do everything in a power to make sure they never have to cry again." I replied. The Doctor was looking at me with some pride as I stood next to him. Amy was new, but she would be good, I was sure. We watched her walk away to try and figure out her task.

* * *

As we walked through the ship the Doctor had taken out his sonic screwdriver, which I noticed had changed from his sleek silver and blue one. He seemed to be concentrating on something intently as we exited off the main street. I remained quiet as he continued to work.

"You're being awfully silent today Riana. Is something the matter? I know you disapprove of me sending Amy off by herself, but if she is to travel with me from now on, she has to be able to prove she can think for herself. They have to understand that universe is a complicated place. She is in no immediate danger." He said to me suddenly. His abrupt speech caught me slightly unawares. I wondered how he knew what I was thinking about, but then remembered this man had probably known me for a long time.

"It's not that. Well ok partly it is. And Grandfather knows what sort of trouble that girl could get in, but why didn't you let me go with her? It's like you always have to have me by your side." I questioned. He turned to face me as we had stopped before a ladder. He closed his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I really forget how young you doesn't know anything. Not that you're stupid, far from it, but I take for granted all the things you already know about me. One of them being that you come with me. I need you by my side Riana. You're one of the only constants I've got left in this Universe. And without you, I would miss things, or get too carried away. That's why I have them, others who travel with me. To remind me of the wonders of the universe, to teach me to see a different way. But you, you come and go and never in the right order. So, when you are here I need your mind and your compassion. To help me get it right, when so many times, I have got it wrong." He said softly, with such emotion, that it scared me slightly. I backed away from him.

"Right, um, well good to know. For future reference stick with you, got it." I said trying to make it into a joke. He seemed to sense that he had become too intense for me so backed off slightly.

"Sorry. Don't worry about it. Ahem. Just I like your company I guess. Anyway, come on we're nearly there." He said as he hurriedly rushed to descend down the ladder. I tried not to let the Doctor's slightly kicked _Ooski_ eyes get to me. Cautiously following him.

 **Next Chapter: The Beast Below – What Lies Beneath**

 **Akheet Word List**

 **Almali** \- a type of plant that is native to Zanthe homeworld of the Zell. Its flowers are a bright blue with a yellow centre and are often noted for their various healing properties and herbal uses. They produce a sweet scent that is particularly attractive to other Zell that smells something like apples.

 **Chulki** \- Sexy/Foxy/Lover of romantic attention (Riana's affectionate name for the 10th Doctor)

 **Vespin** \- The equivalent of Hell.

 **Ooski** \- the equivalent of a baby dog.


	6. The Beast Below- What Lies Beneath

**AN/ Hi all. Thanks so much for all those people that reviewed. I can definitely say they helped to make my day. Not a long note this time as I am tired from writing this chapter. It has taken me nearly 3 days to finish, but finally I did and was monster of a chapter. I thought about splitting it, but I just felt it flowed better like this. I promise most chapters won't be this length. But I myself love reading long ones anyway :D**

 **Anyway, I hope this turns out alright. There were some bits that I wasn't happy with so I had to rewrite them like a hundred times, and I'm still not sure they sound alright. Still this is one of my favourite episodes and I wanted to keep true the characters reactions, hence why Amy still figures out the problem and not Riana. As Amy is awesome! Hope you all enjoy and Happy Easter. And if you don't celebrate Easter, have a great day anyway.**

 **jd009**

 **Chapter 6: The Beast Below – What Lies Beneath**

My mind flew around in circles at the Doctor's previous emotional speech to me. I couldn't forget the deep emotion that clouded his eyes. Again, another indicator that whatever my relationship with the Doctor, it was more than simply friendship. Something I wasn't too sure on. But it could simply be that for a being as old and frankly lonely as the Doctor, having somebody be there for you could amount to a very deep and lasting friendship. At least I prayed to Grandfather that it was so.

The Doctor had taken out his sonic screwdriver- which I didn't quite see how he was scanning things with it- and was passing it all over the room. We had reached the bottom of the ladder upon which the Doctor had placed his hand on a wall in front of us as though listening for something.

"I don't mean to sound _dwinni,_ but what exactly are you doing?" I asked in complete puzzlement of his actions. The Doctor stopped what he was doing and turned to me.

"Do you know where we are?" He asked me.

"Um, I can't say that I do know the insides of spaceships very well, so I'll have to say no clue." I responded with a raised brow. He spun back around and pointed to the wall.

"Come on Riana, use that deductive mind of yours. I know you saw how big this place is. So, what's wrong with this picture, what's missing?" He emphasized by pointing at the wall and the floor. I tried to look around and get my bearings. Almost missing his comment about me seeing the spaceship first hand. It was large, and there was much fear running through the heart of this ship from its passengers, but I had an inkling that wasn't what the Doctor wanted me to notice. So it had to be something else, something just as alarming and staring me right in the face. That if I reached out it would shahk me in the face.

 _Think Riana,_ I told myself. If there was a moment to impress the Doctor and just like Amy, prove to the Doctor that I could think for myself, this was it. Then I suddenly had an idea. What did I feel all the time on the TARDIS, humming! What was absent, vibrations, something that would be obvious signs of a large engine powering this sized ship. I looked back at the Doctor ready to blurt out my findings before I realised he was gazing at me in an affectionate way. Obviously having already figured out what I was about to tell him and was proud of my accomplishment.

"Now you're seeing it." He confirmed.

"But…" However, whatever I was about to say next was abruptly cut off. The Doctor had suddenly spotted a glass of water resting on the floor just down the hallway from where we were standing. I too was surprised at seeing such a strange occurrence.

"Can't be." He muttered to himself as he laid himself down next to it. I walked forward and pulled him to his feet, or at least tried to.

"I know you have a fetish for being randomly weird but could you please not lie down on the frankly disgusting floor when you don't have to." I complained. Alright so perhaps I was a bit vain and liked to look nice. Not that my already disgusting bare feet could do anything about it. He looked at me with a smirk as he got up.

"Alright, I know how you like me looking presentable-" He started to say when a woman's voice cut us off.

"The impossible truth in a glass of water. Not many people see it. But you do, don't you, Doctor, Riana?" She was tall with a red hooded cloak covering most of her body and a strange distinctive white porcelain mask over her face. Her eyes barely visible, covered by shadow. Her hair a dark curled mess.

"You know us?" The Doctor questioned.

"Keep your voice down. They're everywhere. Tell me what you see in the glass." She whispered. I mean I have seen some strange _zuali,_ but she definitely topped the list for certifiably creepy. How for one did she know me and the Doctor. I guess that was kind of a pointless question, as I was getting used to people knowing more about me, before I had even met them.

"Who are you?" I questioned. She looked me over once before turning back to the Doctor.

"Who says I see anything? I mean who can't say Riana and I just popped out for a stroll and happened to stumble across this auspicious glass of water lying in the middle of the floor. And I thought hey, let's have a looksie." The Doctor rambled. I snorted.

"Yeah, I'm sure she's buying that." I scoffed.

"Don't waste time. At the marketplace, you placed a glass of water on the floor, looked at it, then came straight here to the engine room. Why?" She questioned. The engine room? Now I know where the Doctor had taken us, to try and trace the source of a place with no engine vibrations.

"No engine vibration on deck. Ship this size, engine this big, you'd feel it. The water would move. So...I thought I'd take a look." He said as he crossed over to a power box and opened it. "It doesn't make sense. These power couplings, they're not connected. Look. Look - they're dummies, see? And behind this wall, nothing. It's hollow. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was..." He continued but the mysterious masked woman finished for him.

"No engine at all." I looked over to confirm what I had been thinking before was right with the Doctor. He nodded at me, to let me know my thoughts had been on the right track.

"But it's working. This ship is travelling through space. I saw it." I said also making sure to keep my voice lowered. I noticed the Doctor didn't make mention of how I knew this piece of information.

"The impossible truth, Doctor, Riana. We're travelling among the stars in a spaceship that could never fly." She said. A chill went up my spine at the ominous tone of her voice. Suddenly, I was quite sure this was going to be another one of those days.

"How?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know. There's a darkness at the heart of this nation. It threatens every one of us. Help us, Doctor and Riana. You're our only hope. Your friend is safe. This will take you to her. Now go, quickly!" she said, handing him a strange looking device, before turning to walk away. It took me a moment to realise the importance of her words, Amy was in trouble!

"Who are you? How do I find you again?" the Doctor shouted after her.

"I am Liz 10. And I will find you." She whispered before disappearing from sight, as we turned to investigate a loud crashing noise behind us. Creepy.

"Doctor, she means Amy. Amy is in trouble, we have to go and help her. Not to mention get to the bottom of this creepy ships problem. Uh! Why can't days with you ever just be…well not life threatening or end up with me filthy?" I complained. The Doctor only rolled his eyes.

"Because then my dear, they wouldn't be nearly as memorable or as exciting. Besides, you secretly love this." He replied as we -hold your breath for this- started running again, down another series of hallways to get to Amy.

"No, I don't! Well, maybe I do, a bit. But I hardly know what's going on at all and there is never just a moment to catch my breath. I don't even really know you, so why do I feel like I trust you so easily?" I questioned him.

"Spoilers, Riana." He said instead. I groaned in frustration.

"Fine if you won't answer that question then you can at least answer me this. This you, he's after the one I just came from, right? I mean cause you knew the codeword before and the other you clearly made no mention of more then…what was it, 10 regenerations?" I half shouted as we neared another ladder.

"Yes, I'm the 11th. Well the one after that me. In fact, this is still fairly early on for me in this regeneration. Also, yes to the second part as well, the codewords help us keep track, we'll know if we have experienced the same things. Unfortunately, it might get a bit more difficult when you meet future or past version of the same me. Wow, that sounds odd when I say it." He uttered to me as he reached the top of the ladder.

"I guess that kind of makes sense. But this is all so new and confusing for me, I mean what do I do when I meet a past version of you who hasn't done all the same stuff that current you has? Or what if I know more than him?" I pleaded. He sighed as he pulled me up the ladder to stand next to him.

"Then you tell him the codeword. If he doesn't know it, he will let you know. And Riana, its important, don't tell him anything about the future until you are certain that he has experienced it himself. What was it you said to me once… ah yes! ' _as I went further along, I got a feel for where things went in terms of the order sequence that certain events occurred. You know, people, places and Doctors' etc.'_ Plus, you have told me to mind my own business on plenty of occasions. You'll figure it out." He said. I half gaped at him. Had he just quoted something I would one day say to him. Not to mention, telling someone to mind their own business certainly sounded like something I would do. Although I wasn't certain if I would ever get the hang of all of this.

"But Doctor, all those things you talk about, you make her out to be some sort of hero. Someone really brilliant and special. I am none of those things. I'm just some dumb girl who dreams too much about things that I was never meant to have. That sort of stuff happens in children's tales. Things your father tells you before you have to sleep." I said. He grabbed my hands in a firm grip and pulled me closer to him, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"You listen to me Riana'Cekina Tahlay. You are not just some 'dumb girl'. You are more special than you will ever know. That person you hear about, she's you. All those amazing stories you will listen to, they happened and you were that brilliant, impossible person who inspired so many. Who saved me and who has every single time I have ever known you, made me into the man I am today. Made me better. And I won't have you questioning yourself, or telling yourself that you're not good enough. Those people back on Tiaanamat, they never knew you, they are not even worth your time, you are so much more than they will ever be and I will never have you think any less!" He said with such passion in his voice that I instinctively shrunk away from it.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. A hero? Someone who was brilliant? Saved him? The words spun round and round in my head. But she couldn't be me. I had never done any of those things in my life. So what if I might do them in the future, that didn't mean I could be what he wanted right now. I had seen the disappointment in his eyes when he found out I wasn't the Riana he wanted. He had been sad, as though 'young' me was too much effort. To my surprise, I found myself scared.

I had been putting it off to now. It had always been in the back of my mind. The awareness that I was far away from home with nobody that I knew and laws of physics broken, and a man I had subconsciously been relying on to be my anchor in this solar storm. When I became afraid, I became angry. It was my defence mechanism that had got me into to trouble more times than I can count. Like that man in the market. If I had just held my temper I would never have started that fight and if I had never started that fight, I would never have found the locket. The locket brought me, now to be with the Doctor, where my future was more uncertain than ever.

"Don't say something like that. I saw it in your eyes when you realised I wasn't the person you wanted. You were disappointed and sad. But you tried to pretend and cover it up treating me like I'm a child! Well I have news for you, too bad! Because I'm not one! But don't turn around and sprout glorious facts about some girl I'm not, the future isn't set in stone Doctor, and I can Grandfather swear to you, that if I could turn and leave this all behind I would. I wanted to see the stars, but I didn't want the promise of never returning home and some man looking at me as though I was Akhaten himself!" I shouted in his face.

I expected him to get mad, maybe yell at me. Maybe be sad, but I never expected him to simply pull me into his body and give me a hug. It wasn't sexual or even remotely familiar. His body was alien to me, in every sense. Too gangly and tall, hard muscle and a strange heart rhythm. Yet I could feel tears welling in my eyes. I swore to myself I was done crying after that last fit on the TARDIS after I had first met him. Instead this hug only offered comfort, a stability in the craziness that had become my life.

"I'm so sorry Riana. Forgive me for being neglectful. I should have done this properly, not just expected you to know everything. It's ok to be scared, but I'm here, I will always be here for you. You're not alone." He whispered softly into my ear. I sniffed a few times trying to get my emotions under control. We had more important things to be doing then standing around, acting like children. Well he did.

"I-I'm sorry Doctor. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You shouldn't have to deal with my emotional breakdown on top of trying to save Amy. I promise, I'll be fine." I said pulling away from his embrace, distancing myself from the issue. I knew he didn't by it, but he wasn't arguing, so I didn't care. He looked me over again, but obviously knew when to leave me well enough alone.

"If you're sure and don't apologise. Trust me, you have been far kinder to me in the past when I have had my bad days." He finally responded. I didn't mention the fact that he had just given something away about my future, thinking now wasn't really the time.

As we made our way towards where Amy was located I wondered about the hovercoaster my emotions had been on these last few days. Was I sick or was the combined stress and the constant flow of adrenalin in my system messing with my head? I guess it was something to ponder for another time.

What snapped me out of my thoughts was the dull burning around my neck, something that was fast becoming familiar to me. Without really thinking about it, I place one of my hands on the locket and a voice rang out from the pendant as it glowed a dull red. The Doctor looked slightly shocked, perhaps he had never seen the locket do something like this before?

"You are here because you want to know the truth about this starship, and I am talking to you because you're entitled to know. When this presentation has finished, you will have a choice. You may either protest...or forget. If you choose to protest, understand this. If just 1% of the population of this ship do likewise, the programme will be discontinued, with consequences for you all. If you choose to accept the situation - and we hope that you will - then press the "forget" button. All the information I am about to give you will be erased from your memory. You will continue to enjoy the safety and amenities of Starship UK, unburdened by the knowledge of what has been done to save you. Here, then, is the truth about Starship UK, and the price that has been paid for the safety of the British people. May God have mercy on our souls." The voice faded back into thin air as the Doctor's face took on a more determined expression.

My heart was pounding, here lied the answer to our problem, what exactly this ship was hiding. Whoever was listening to this now, for I knew it must be happening, was about to find the answer and my instincts told me that it was in fact Amy.

"Doctor?" I asked him.

"Yes, I heard it Riana. No Pond, c'mon don't choose." He whispered to himself.

"You think its Amy too?" I said hesitatingly. He didn't answer as we had finally reached our destination. It was a metal door with seats outside of it and we couldn't see in. The Doctor used his screwdriver to unlock the door, just as a very dazed and disoriented Amy looked up to see us. We could hear the end of a message playing, Amy's voice ringing in my ears.

"…Don't let them investigate. Stop them. Do whatever you have to. Just please, please get the Doctor and Riana off this ship!"

The Doctor looked slightly angry and Amy flinched back slightly. I followed him inside just as Amy got rid of the message. I became concerned what didn't she want us to know? What terrible secret haunted these people?

"Amy what have you done?" The Doctor asked her. Amy could only stare at us in terror at her own actions. The Doctor pulled a chair forward and stood upon it. He used his screwdriver to scan the light fixture above our heads. I went forward and gently took Amy's hands. They were shaking and she was frightenly pale.

"Amy its ok, deep breaths." I reminded her. She seemed to calm down slightly as she did so. Much to my relief.

"Yeah, your basic memory wipe job. Must have erased about 20 minutes." The Doctor informed us.

"What do you think she chose to forget?" I inquired.

"Nothing good, I would imagine." Was his prompt reply.

"But why would I choose to forget?" Amy said. I could only stare at her in pity. Whatever she had seen must have been truly terrible for a single mind to bear. Yet why wouldn't she want us to know?

"Cos everyone does. Everyone chooses the "forget" button." The girl Mandy from before informed us. I was surprised I had not noticed her presence here for some time. She had been very quiet until now.

"I supposed this is something that happens often?" I asked of her. She looked at me weirdly before seeming to recognise me.

"You're that woman from before that ran into me. I recognised your blue hair, I mean who has blue hair?" she questioned. I frowned at her and sensing my displeasure she quickly answered my question.

"Uh, yeah fairly regularly." She says.

"Did you?" the Doctor asked of her. She seemed put out by his question. I laughed slightly, guessing she was far too young to vote.

"Doctor I think Mandy may be too young for such a choice." I said.

"I'm 12, you have to be 16 to vote. Then you are allowed to see the film and make your choice and then every five years…" She helpfully corrected us.

"And once every five years, everyone chooses to forget what they've learned. Democracy in action." The Doctor spitefully concluded. I began to get the feeling that this day was about to turn out for the worst. If I had learned one thing about the Doctor, if you ever crossed him or made a bad decision that could cost lives, he didn't forgive easily and his wrath could be terrible. I shuddered remembering his swift justice of Mercy Hartigan.

"How do you not know about this? Are you Scottish too?" she asked after us. I snorted.

"I am not even sure was a Scottish is, but whatever is it I ain't it." I replied.

"Oh, I'm way worse than Scottish. I can't even see the movie. Won't play for me." He said as he demonstrated touching the buttons. I was curious as well and went over to try. The video stayed blank as well.

"Neither for Riana apparently." He added.

"It played for me." Amy said.

"The difference being the computer doesn't accept us as human." He replied. It made sense I suppose with the both of us being aliens to the humans. Him being a Time Lord and myself being a Zell.

"Why not?" Amy questioned. The Doctor gave her a look and it seemed to click as she gaped slightly.

"You both look human, well The Doctor more than Riana, but I always just assumed that you dyed your hair." She explained of me. I looked at her in confusion. Blue was a perfectly acceptable colour, red on the hand was just plain weird.

"No, you look Time Lord. We came first." He said in an offhand manner. I looked at him in curiosity, last time I had asked him about that he had avoided answering the question, maybe Amy could get more out of him than myself.

"I'll have you know that we aren't all Time Lords here, not that you ever actually explained to me what that meant." I said irritated. The Doctor didn't seem to hear my response.

"So what are you then?" Amy questioned me. However, the Doctor answered for me.

"She's a Zell. Blue hair, pointed ears, telekinetic powers, fast healing and high metabolism rate. Also much more resistant to cold than humans." He informed her. Amy gaped as I reluctantly moved the pieces of hair that covered my ears to display them to Amy.

"Cool, you're like an elf, or a pixie." She said excitedly. Again, what was an elf? Or a pixie? Humans! I sulkily complained to myself.

"Thanks for letting me explain my entire species to her, Time Lord extraordinaire. Maybe next time I'll summarise your species in less than a sentence." I said sarcastically.

"So there are other Time Lords, yeah?" Amy asked of him, while ignoring my sullen remark.

"No. There were, but there aren't... Just me now. Long story. There was a bad day. Bad stuff happened, and you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever. Cos this is what I do - every time, every day, every second. This. Hold tight. We're bringing down the government." I barely had time to process those life changing words before he slammed his hand without either of our consent on the protest button.

If there was a single moment more than any other so far, that I could say I hated the Doctor it was in this second. He was certifiably _kanwaii!_ I was going to kill him, bring him back by the light of Grandfather than kill him again. That was it he was getting shahked first chance I got, if any of us survived this.

"Say, "Wheee!"" he said excitedly as he pulled both Amy and I into the furthest corner he could find away from the smiler in the booth, whose face now had red eyes and a terrible look upon its face. The floor began to fall away from both of us and Amy sreamed.

" _Itz'ksikai!_ Doctor you are so dead!" I swore at him. As we all plunged to our doom. As I screamed all the way down, praying to Akhaten that I wouldn't die.

* * *

To say that I was disgusted was an understatement. We had come flying out of a chute to land in a pile of wet and slimy garbage. If I had been annoyed with the state of my filthy feet and my pristine white nightgown before, now I was livid. Not only was I covered in some sort of deluge slush, the bottom of my nightgown was nearly see through.

I noticed the Doctor was hardly bothered by his state and was casually inspecting his surroundings. Amy appeared to be of a similar mind to me as she threw pieces of used food scraps from her person. She looked up to meet my eyes and we came to a complete understanding. We would rather be anywhere but here.

"High-speed air cannon. Lousy way to travel." The Doctor muttered to himself as he scanned the chute we had just exited from.

"You know just for the record if you ever do anything like that again without telling me, I will personally make sure that your 'sonic screwdriver' will not be working at maximum capacity and trust me mate it'll take more than a few rotations to fix." I threatened him. The Doctor seemed to pale very fast as he took in the meaning of my words. He gulped for a second before scratching at his cheek awkwardly. Fortunately for him Amy saved him from having to reply as she asked where were.

"Ahem. 600 feet down, 20 miles laterally - puts us at the heart of the ship. I'd say... Lancashire. What's this, then - a cave? Can't be a cave. Looks like a cave." He rambled a clear sign that he was uncomfortable. I only attempted to regain my footing and not look down as I'm sure I would have vomited up my Christmas dinner from nearly a day ago.

"It's a rubbish dump, and it's minging!" Amy cried as she flung a piece of rubbish over her shoulder. She stood up and stepped down onto the ground where the Doctor was.

"Oh Grandfather, Grandfather, don't look down Riana. Uh why did I have to look down and what the Vespin is this floor made of it feels disgusting." I ranted to myself, much to Amy's amusement.

"Not liking this much Riana, I never took you for a princess." Amy laughed. The Doctor clearly found it amusing as well.

"Oh, trust me on this, you should have seen her in the sewers in New York that one time. I think she about blew out my ear drums and the rest of the cities as well. Wasn't sure I was ever going to fully recover all of my sanity, she actually made me carry her out." He said. I stood there in shock as he revealed something of my future. And how insulting. Just because I didn't like being covered in dirt didn't mean I fled at the first sign of something smelly or gross.

"I don't believe you. People don't carry me just because of a little exposure to waste." I refuted his claim.

"Wanna bet on that?" he smirked back at me.

"Aren't you not supposed to be telling me of the future." I reminded him.

"In this case, I'll make an exception for you my dear." He laughed. I attempted to hit him but missed and would have fallen even further into the waste dump if his quick reflexes hadn't caught me.

"If you are done flirting, can we get back to the matter at hand." Amy chimed in. I glared at her for suggesting that I was even entertaining such thoughts. At least this Doctor wasn't nearly as bad of a flirt as the last one.

"Yes, but only food refuse. Organic, coming through feeder tubes from all over the ship." The Doctor said as he let go of me to pick up a piece of waste and smell it.

"I'll take your word on it." I muttered distastefully. Amy suddenly got down on her hands and knees and began to feel the ground. I flinched at her actions and again attempted to not be too bothered by it. I wasn't that squeamish, I had dealt with worse situations than this before. Mass outbreaks of plagues or pestilences, health care wasn't exactly the best where I lived.

I too finally got a hold of myself and tried to see where we were. I had the disadvantage of not wearing any shoes so I could feel the ground we were on.

"The floor's all squidgy, like a water bed." Amy said.

"But feeding what, though?" The Doctor questioned.

"It's sort of rubbery, feel it. Wet and slimy." I said as I ran my feet over the texture. A distant moaning noise caught my attention as a sudden bad feeling washed over me. The Doctor seemed to have come to a conclusion as he had put his sonic screwdriver away.

"Er... It's not a floor, it's a.." He said reluctant to tell us. But I was almost certain I had worked it out.

"Oh tell me it's not. Because if it is I am soo going to kill you." I moaned.

"It's a what?" Amy asked both of us.

"The next word is kind of the scary word. Take a moment. Get yourself in a calm place. Go 'omm'." He said as he took both our hands.

"Omm." Amy did as he instructed. I simply prayed to every deity out there, that I wasn't about to die.

"It's a tongue." The Doctor stated confirming my worst fears.

" _Itz'ksikai!"_ I swore. The Doctor looked a bit put off by my language.

"There really isn't the need for that kind of language Riana." He said.

"It bloody well is, you idiot. We are in a mouth! Possibly about to get eaten. This is soo not how I pictured my day going." I yelled at him. Still I gripped his hand tightly.

"A tongue?" Amy asked again.

"Yes a great big honking neon lighted tongue Amy!" I yelled at her.

"This is a mouth? This whole place is a mouth? We're in a mouth?!" She continued to panic. The Doctor was only growing more excited and seemed dismayed at our lack of enthusiasm.

"Yes, yes, yes, but on the plus side, roomy." He said impatient with the both of us.

"Oi, less admiring and more figuring a way to get out. I think if I tried I could lift us back up that chute." I said, at this moment willing to try anything to get out of here. The Doctor was still admiring the inside of whatever monster we had found ourselves in.

"How big is this beastie? It's gorgeous! Blimey! if this is just the mouth, I'd love to see the stomach. Though not right now." He said to himself.

"Doctor, how do we get out?" Amy demanded.

"OK, it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so the normal entrance is... closed for business." He said as he turned around and spotted the ginormous sharp teeth. I for one was glad we weren't going that way. I only hoped it wouldn't be out the other way either.

"We can try, though." Amy said as she began to stubbornly stride forward, only for the Doctor to grab her.

"No! Stop, don't move! Too late. It's started." He pronounced as to my worst fear the mouth began to move. Knocking us about on our feet.

"Oh sweet Akhaten's light!" I moaned.

"What has?" Amy asked clearly still panicking.

"The beast is going to swallow!" I cried. We were all thrown backwards into the garbage as the tongue began to lift.

"What are you doing?" Amy yelled as the Doctor did something with his screwdriver.

"I'm vibrating the chemo-receptors." The Doctor explained.

"Chemo-what?" Amy asked.

"He's hitting the eject button" I told her.

"How does a mouth have an eject button?" Amy questioned.

"Think about it!" The Doctor yelled over us. There was a growling sound up ahead and all three of us look at a huge freakin wave of what I didn't even want to name coming for us.

"Right, then. This isn't going to be big on dignity. Geronimo!" The Doctor yelled as he straightened his neck tie. Amy and I began to scream. I managed to grasp her hand tightly and close my mouth and eyes before the tidal wave of….dare I say it, sick swept over us with and enormous crash and pulled us off our feet.

It felt like I was in a never ending hovercoaster, I was twisted every which way and before long my sense of direction was none existent. I couldn't feel the Doctor anywhere and I think I had lost my grip on Amy some time ago. It felt like an eternity in the spinning darkness before it eventually stopped. The bile drained out and I sat up gasping for air. Coughing up the foul tasting sick that had taken residence inside my mouth. Wiping my eyes and swearing all the while I tried to get a sense of where I was.

It looked like the Doctor's plan had worked. We no longer resided inside the mouth of the beast, instead we had ended up back inside the ship in some sort of pipe. I noticed Amy and the Doctor had both survived the tidal wave. Amy was also clearing her eyes and nose. The Doctor didn't seem to bothered by his appearance, even though his floppy brown hair was plastered to his head. He stood up and scanned the door that was before us. I half stumbled over to Amy to help her up.

I checked her over to make sure she wasn't too badly hurt. I myself other than being a bit sore and smelling completely disgusting was fine. Amy appeared to be the same. She looked around as I finally pulled her up.

"There's nothing broken, there's no sign of concussion and yes, you are covered in sick." The Doctor's voice broke over our thoughts. I glared at his back for the situation he had put us in. "And Riana, glaring at me isn't going to suddenly take away the fact you were vomited up." He continued in his smug voice. I gasped in surprise.

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"Not in the mouth, thank Akhaten." I managed at last.

"Overspill pipe, at a guess." The Doctor replied. Amy was sniffing the air and her face took on a disgusted look.

"Oh, God, it stinks." She cried out. I unfortunately already guessed where the smell was coming from.

"Amy, it isn't the pipe that stinks, it's us." I explained. She smelt herself and wrinkled her nose. Her hair was a sodden mess plastered to her head and shoulders, her white nightie was slightly see through. When she looked over to me, a light smirk lit up her face.

"Uh, Riana, I take it you're not wearing anything under your dress." She started. I looked down in horror, to see that it had become stuck to my body and slightly see through in certain areas. Like the fact that clearly I was cold, was easily visible.

"Grandfather!" I exclaimed attempting to cover up my chest. Amy laughed but handed her robe to me to put on which I reluctantly did. The Doctor must have heard our conversation as when I turned back around there was a faint redness to his cheeks.

"Can we please get out of here, Doctor?" I demanded of him. Tying the sick covered robe around myself.

"One door, one door switch, one condition. We forget everything we saw. Look familiar? That's the carrot. Ooh, here's the stick. There's a creature living in the heart of this ship. What's it doing there?" The Doctor questioned as two smilers were revealed. The faces spun to show that they were mad. "No, that's not going to work on me, so come on. Big old beast below decks, and everyone who protests gets shoved down its throat. That how it works?" He pressed as the faces spun again to show anger. "Oh, stop it. I'm not leaving and I'm not forgetting and what are you fellows going to do about it? Stick out your tongues?".

"Doctor, I really don't think you should antagonise them, I think there is a reason the people of this ship are afraid of them." I cautioned him. It was a good thing I did as the booths opened and the now red eyed smilers exited and began to walk towards us. We backed away as quickly as we could.

"Doctor?" Amy asked. I raised my hand and not sure why I didn't think of this before, shahked them. I wasn't sure if it would have as much effect as they weren't living things. It seemed to stagger them, for a moment, but they quickly rose again. I cursed. I created a bigger field and blasted them back holding them against the wall.

"Impressive, can't say I've seen the like before. Now release the field!" A familiar woman's voice rang out behind me. I turned to spot the previously masked woman holding a pistol in her hand and pointing it our direction.

"If I do they kill us all." I said back. She just smirked.

"Wanna bet?" She challenged me. I sighed but did as she asked. Two shots rang off and the smilers, fell. The mysterious woman, Liz 10, I remembered her name was twirled her gun and put it back in its holsters.

"Thank you." I said reluctantly thanking her. She nodded in acknowledgement towards me.

"Look who it is. You look a lot better without your mask." The Doctor said. Sounding ridiculously enthusiastic again.

"You must be Amy. Liz. Liz 10." Liz 10 introduced herself to Amy. They shook hands, something that seemed a very pointless gesture to me. Yet I was sure I would have to remember to do it in the future when I was around other humans.

"Hi." Amy said, clearly impressed with the woman. Although she did look towards me in some awe as well.

"Eurgh! Lovely hair, Amy. Shame about the sick. You know Mandy, yeah? She's very brave." Liz 10 said as she wiped her hand on her cloak. She led us through a side door where Mandy stood. Seriously though, why did everyone like red hair so much?

"Nice work as well Riana, with the telekinesis. Bet that comes in handy at times." She laughed. I scowled slightly.

"Oh, stop being a grump. How did you find us?" The Doctor scolded me before asking of Liz 10.

"Stuck my gizmo on you. Been listening in. Nice moves on the hurl escape. So, what's the big fella doing here?" she said as she continued down the corridor. I followed closely behind the Doctor becoming slightly annoyed with her. She certainly acted as though she knew more than the Doctor. Or maybe I was slightly annoyed the Doctor was listening to her more than me. What with telling me I was brilliant before.

"Yeah you're welcome to try it. Don't think you would find it nearly as exciting as you make it out to be" I said. The Doctor gave me a behave look.

"You're over 16, you've voted. Whatever this is, you've chosen to forget about it." The Doctor accused. I too thought she must be just as guilty as the rest of them.

"No. Never forgot, never voted. Not technically a British subject." She replied promptly. I snorted in disbelief.

"Who are you then." I asked of her.

"How do you know us?" The Doctor questioned as well.

"You're a bit hard to miss, loves. Mysterious strangers, MO's consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot... well in the case of Miss Tahlay over there, sticks out like a sore thumb. I've been brought up on the stories. My whole family was." She replied. I was vexed at that.

"What's wrong with my hair?" I demanded. She laughed.

"It's blue love." She said.

"Your family?" The Doctor asked, completely ignoring my question.

"They're repairing. Doesn't take them long. Let's move." Liz 10 instructed as we all noticed one of the smilers begin to twitch.

"The Doctor and Riana Tahlay. Old drinking buddies of Henry XII. Tea and scones with Liz II. Vicky was a bit on the fence about you both, weren't she? Knighted and exiled you on the same day. And so much for the Virgin Queen, you bad, bad boy!" She laughed. I looked on confused. What exactly was she referring to? Henry who? Exiled? Virgin Queen? Apparently, the Doctor knew as he avoided my questioning gaze and went red in the face, clearing his throat.

"They are an old ruling family on Earth. We have a bit of a history with them." He said in clarification to me. I nodded. Liz 10 seemed to pick up on this as she raised a brow. I narrowed my eyes at her, to tell her to mind her own business.

"Liz 10?" The Doctor asked of the woman. Just as another smiler got out of its booth.

"Liz 10, yeah. Elizabeth X. And down!" She yelled as she turned around and fired both pistols at the Smilers. "I'm the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule." I laughed. While she could be annoying, she was certainly entertaining.

"Do you often go around shooting at things?" I enquired after her.

"When I must, Riana. But I imagine that you would be no stranger to having to fight dirty." She said. By this stage, she had led us to the bottom of a Vator shaft.

"There's a high-speed Vator through there." Liz 10 explained. I jumped when a strange claw like _zuali_ banged against a caged area. "Oh, yeah. There's these things. Any ideas?"

"Doctor, Riana, I saw one of these up top. There was a hole in the road, like it had burst through, like a root." Surprisingly it was Amy that answered.

"Exactly like a root. It's all one creature - the same one we were inside - reaching out. It must be growing through the mechanisms of the entire ship." The Doctor surmised.

"I take it that's not good." I queried.

"A very big not good." The Doctor confirmed.

"What? Like an infestation?" Liz 10 asked.

"Someone's helping it. Feeding it." He said. Damn this really wasn't good then. How were we meant to help these people? For once I wasn't certain that it would be possible for the Doctor to pull off the impossible.

"Feeding my subjects to it. Come on. We've got to keep moving." Liz 10 growled in anger as she stormed off with Mandy following behind her. Amy was looking at the at the 'roots' with some sorrow in her face. I myself could detect a great sadness emanating off them.

"Doctor?" Amy asked.

"Oh, Amy and Riana. We should never have come here." He said as he looked sympathetically at the roots as they banged against the cage. I looked up startled at the Doctor words.

"Don't say that! You always tell me that we never walk away." I half yelled at him. He turned and looked at me in pity.

"Sometimes, Riana, sometimes we should never interfere. But your right it's too late this time to walk away. I just don't think however this ends is going to be pleasant." He said before moving after Liz and Mandy. Amy was lost in her thoughts, but I was almost certain I could hear the faint voice of her message playing through her head. Warning her not to let us interfere.

* * *

"Why all the glasses?" The Doctor's voice rang out in the opulent bedroom we had found ourselves in. Liz 10 had gone towards a fancy bed and sat herself down upon the convers. Amy and Mandy had taken up residence on a chaise at the end of the bed. I myself remained standing.

"To remind me every single day that my government is up to something, and it's my duty to find out what." She replied. Watching as the Doctor picked up her familiar white mask.

"A queen going undercover to investigate her own kingdom? Not very noble." I observed. Liz 10 scoffed.

"Secrets are being kept from me. I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this - my entire reign - and you've achieved more in one afternoon." She retorted.

"How old were you when you came to the throne?" The Doctor asked as he paced around the room, clearly deep in thought.

"40. Why?" She replied. Amy seemed shocked at this number. For a Zell it wasn't very old. Myself only being 34.

"What, you're 50 now? No way!" Amy exclaimed in disbelief. She was pulling her hair up on her head out of the way. My own hair was thankfully mostly out of the way in a braid. I was happy to notice on the walk to Liz 10's room, for that was the only place I could conclude it to be. My night gown had dried out somewhat. It was no longer completely see through, so I had given Amy her robe back to better attempt to drain the sick off myself.

"50 old? I am 34." I added. Amy gaped at me.

"Am I like the only normal aged person here." She said.

"How old are you?" I questioned.

"Not that old. Ok fine I'm 21." She stubbornly replied. I laughed.

"Humans must have very different ideas about how old someone is. Zell can live to be around 640 years old." I informed her and was thoroughly amused to watch her mouth gap open. Liz 10 laughed along with me.

"I wouldn't mind living that long, age care would be a killer though. Anyway, to answer your question Doctor, they slowed my body clock. Keeps me looking like the stamps." She said. The Doctor came over to sit next to her on the bed with the mask in his hand.

"And you always wear this in public?" He asked. Liz 10 looked the mask over with a casual air and didn't seem concerned about keeping a secret from her subjects. I on the other hand was beginning to see a pattern. There were far too many secrets in this nation and too many people dying to keep them. What did masks really achieve anyway, but to cause confusion and heartbreak.

… _What do you mean he left?_

 _I mean, he's not coming back Riana. Your father left us, he didn't think we were good enough for him. Said the council called him back. What that means I don't even know. But we're on our own._

 _Mama, you're lying! Papa would never leave us. He'll come back, you'll see he loves us!_

 _Riana, don't do this, please. I'm sorry to tell you, but your father was never the man that you knew._

 _I hate you! Papa will come back for me and then we'll go and see the stars together, he promised me._

 _Oh, Riana grow up child! Those were just empty promises. We don't even have barely enough to feed ourselves let alone get off this asteroid. It's time you stopped being so naïve…._

The memory of my mother telling me that my father had left, was one of the worst memories I had. It had broken me and even to this day I don't think I would ever completely heal. If my father had just been honest, then maybe I wouldn't have loved him so much…and maybe he wouldn't have broken my heart.

"Undercover's not easy when you're me. The autographs, the bunting." Liz 10 explained, startling me from my reverie.

"Air-balanced porcelain. Stays on by itself, cos it's perfectly sculpted to your face." The Doctor continued.

"What's the significance of that then?" I questioned him, not quite seeing where the Doctor's thoughts had lead him.

"Yeah, so what?" Liz 10 echoed my thoughts.

"Oh, Liz. So everything." The Doctor breathed. Just then four hooded men entered the room. The Queen jumped up and demanded to know what they were doing in her chambers. I slowly placed myself in front of Amy and the Doctor in case I had to shield them.

"Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK. You will come with us now." One of the hooded men demanded of us.

"Why would I do that?" Liz 10 refused. Much to my horror his head swivelled around to show that off a frowning smiler.

"By the Light!" I spat out in disgust.

"How can they be Smilers?" Liz 10 cried.

"Half Smiler, half human." The Doctor supplied. However, for all of Liz 10's horror, she did not cower before the abomination and instead drew herself up.

"Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen. On whose authority is this done?" She demanded of him.

"The highest authority, Ma'am." The smiler responded.

"She is the highest authority _tooktin!"_ I yelled at him.

"You are right Ma'am. You must go now, Ma'am." He said.

"Where?" Liz 10 asked.

"The Tower, Ma'am." The smiler replied. Great if I already didn't have a bad feeling about this day, it had just multiplied.

We were escorted to this 'Tower', a large stone room, with many high-tech machines lining the walls and the centre of it. A grate in the floor could be observed with more of the roots trying to break through. I observed that Amy had stopped and was staring at the roots. I was concerned for her, whatever she had chosen to forget must have been terrible, not to mention what she didn't want the Doctor and I to know and I could only fear how the Doctor would react once the truth was revealed.

"Doctor, where are we?" Amy asked. I definitely didn't like the Doctor's answer.

"The lowest point of Starship UK. The dungeon." He exclaimed as spun around with his arms outstretched.

"Oh, please tell me this isn't going to become a regular thing with you. Prisons and dungeons and handcuffs?" I begged of him. His only reply was to smirk at me.

"That my dear is something you'll have to live through yourself." He replied. I groaned, much to Amy's amusement. Just then a grey-haired man came before us.

"Ma'am." He said acknowledging Liz 10's presence.

"Hawthorne! So, this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do." She said surprised at the man's appearance. I detected something unusual about him. Maybe it was his age or maybe he was also one of those half human half smilers'. The Doctor glanced around and noticed a line of children carrying equipment from an outside corridor. I gasped in horror and ran over towards them. None of them responded to my calls.

"There's children down here. What's all that about?" The Doctor demanded of Hawthorne, anger seeping into his tone.

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast. For some reason, it won't eat the children. You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky." Hawthorne casually said. I growled and realised my hands were glowing blue. Standing up I stormed over towards the stupid man.

"Limited value!" I screeched. "What makes you judge, jury and executioner? What gives you the right to throw people down into some monster's mouth. Or force children to work like slave labour! Maybe we should throw you to it and see if it spares you!" I yelled into the man's face. The Doctor had to restrain me from hitting the _poshtak._ I was breathing hard and could see that I had startled the man slightly.

"Easy Riana. Hitting him won't fix this mess." He reminded me. I for one couldn't understand the apparent stupidity of some humans. Or was this common of their species?

"It would make me feel infinitely better though, Doctor." I said. Although I reluctantly decided not to punch the living daylights out of him.

"Yeah, look at us. Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it? Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle." The Doctor rambled as he examined some of the equipment. I could see Amy keeping her distance from us. The Doctor went over to where Liz 10 was standing next to an open 'well' of some sort. Down below was some sort of living matter. If I didn't know better, I would say brain matter.

"What's that?" Liz 10 asked.

"Well, like I say, depends on the angle. It's either the exposed pain centre of big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly..." The Doctor started and I closed my eyes in horror at what he was going to say next.

"Or?" Liz 10 asked.

"…Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator - Starship UK's go-faster button." He finished. Inside something of me died. How could such people do this? Be this cruel?

"I don't understand." Liz 10 whispered, the true horror of the situation just dawning on her. The Doctor was now furious.

"Don't you? Try, go on. The spaceship that could never fly, no vibration on deck. This creature - this poor, trapped, terrified creature. It's not infesting you, it's not invading - it's what you have instead of an engine. And this place down here is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, just to keep it moving." He yelled.

An intermittent electrical beam shot down into the creature's exposed brain. "Tell you what. Normally, it's above the range of human hearing. This is the sound none of you wanted to hear." And with that he removed the grate and released the creature's roots. Pointing his screwdriver at the creature and suddenly a terrible sad sound with such pain and despair filled the room. All of us flinched. I felt tears falling down my filthy cheeks.

"Stop it. Who did this?" Liz 10 demanded just as the Doctor stopped the sound again.

"We act on instructions from the highest authority." Hawthorne replied.

"I am the highest authority. The creature will be released, now. I said now! Is anyone listening to me?" Liz 10 said in exasperation as nobody moved to do as she asked. I closed my eyes as something finally occurred to me. The mask, her age. That is what the Doctor meant by it meaning everything. Even the reactions of the smilers added to the problem. They didn't react with surprise because this had already happened before. Liz wasn't just starting her reign, she may look young, but she was in fact much older. The age of the mask was proof of it.

"Liz. Your mask." The Doctor said as he held up her mask.

"What about my mask?" Liz 10 commanded.

"Look at it. It's old. At least 200 years old, I'd say." He said as he tossed it to her.

"Yeah, it's an antique, so?" she said in confusion.

"It's perfectly sculpted to your face. That's shouldn't be possible if the craftsmen on your home planet created it." I said. She looked between the Doctor and me in horror.

"They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not 50. Nearer 300. And it's been a long old reign." The Doctor said softly.

"Nah, it's ten years. I've been on this throne ten years." She denied. More than anything I felt pity for her.

"Ten years. And the same ten years over and over again, always leading you... here." The Doctor said gently as he led her by the hand to a voting booth with two large buttons reading 'forget' and 'abdicate'.

"What have you done?" Liz 10 said to Hawthorne.

"Only what you have ordered. We work for you, Ma'am. The Winders, the Smilers, all of us." He replied as he turned on the screen in front of us. We stood transfixed as Liz 10's voice rang out from the screen. She looked exactly the same and filled with terrible sadness and guilt.

"If you are watching this...If I am watching this, then I have found my way to the Tower Of London. The creature you are looking at is called a Star Whale. Once, there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space and, according to legend, guided the early space travelers through the asteroid belts. This one, as far as we are aware, is the last of its kind. And what we have done to it breaks my heart. The Earth was burning. Our sun had turned on us, and every other nation had fled to the skies. Our children screamed as the skies grew hotter. And then it came, like a miracle. The last of the star whales. We trapped it, we built our ship around it, and we rode on its back to safety. If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must press the "forget" button. Be again the heart of this nation, untainted. If not, press the other button. Your reign will end, the Star Whale will be released, and our ship will disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to make the right decision." Her voice at last faded away.

It left me with tears streaming down my face at the impossible choice she had to make. She did it for the lives of her people. No other sacrifice could be considered more honourable. Yet what she did to the innocent Star Whale was horrific. It was the last of its kind and that more than anything struck a chord in my heart. I too knew someone that was the last of his kind.

"I voted for this? Why would I do that?" Amy asked of us.

"Because you knew if we stayed here, we'd be faced with an impossible choice. Humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me and Riana from that. And that was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know. Or what Riana needs to know." He yelled at her. Amy got angry herself.

"I don't even remember doing it." Amy exclaimed.  
"You did it. That's what counts." The Doctor replied. I was slightly annoyed at him. Yes Amy had made a poor decision, but that didn't mean her intentions weren't honest and for myself I couldn't hold that against her. I knew what making impossible decision looked like. Because once you made them, they killed you inside and you could never take them back.

"Doctor." I tried to reason with him on Amy's behalf, but he wasn't listening.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Amy said on the verge of tears.

"Oh, I don't care. When I'm done here, you're going home. Riana and I don't need someone like you." He said as he angrily walked away. At that comment, I was now angry with him. I know he was hurt, Amy was obviously very dear to him, but that was too far. I walked after him and telekinetically froze him in place. He let out a startled noise at my actions. Everyone else in the room was also astonished.

"No! Don't you put that on her. You don't get to walk away from them. You once told me we always give them a chance to be better. Well teach her how to be better. She made a mistake, that doesn't define who she is for the rest of her life. Or are you going to condemn me as well for making terrible decisions?" I yelled at him. The Doctor growled.

"Let me go Riana. I have to fix this mess before any more people get hurt. You don't understand. You're too young, if you were older you would be agreeing with me. People like that, they keep making mistakes. They can't think for themselves and then I have to fix it!" He yelled right back at me.

"So that's all I am to you. Too young, not the same person who could value the same things. Not YOUR Riana. Fine. I get it. But you can't pretend never to have made past mistakes before. You're far from perfect yourself. You don't get to be the judge over the universe. What gives you that right? What gives you the right to decide for me the worth of someone. I am pretty sure at this moment I would take the person who tried to protect me from a terrible decision, then the one who is going to condemn me for it!" I was furious. I stormed over to him and looked him in the eyes. If I was a lesser person I might have run away in fear. His eyes were so old and so angry, but running through them was a depth of sadness.

"Release me." He said dangerously. But even though my hands shook and I felt fear running through me, I didn't budge.

"You're not going to even explain yourself?" I demanded.

"I am not. I don't have to explain myself to the likes of anyone, let alone you. You haven't earnt that right. Now I will ask you once more only before you will not like the consequences, let me go." He said quietly. I flinched. Who was this man to think he was better than them? Better than every single person in this room. I didn't want to show it but his words had hurt me. Amy sensing the tension spilling out of control between us, tried to draw the Doctor's attention over to herself.

"Doctor, please listen to her. You can't take me home, just because I made one mistake. I don't even remember making it!" She begged of him to listen. The Doctor turned his anger on her instead even as he struggled to free himself from my telekinetic field.

"Riana let me go! I have had just about enough of the both of you and everyone in this room!" He yelled. I finally relented. I knew he wouldn't listen to us in his anger. He brushed himself off and walked over to one of the panels and began examining it. Taking out his sonic screwdriver and preceding to ignore us. I glanced over at Amy and I tried to convey my thanks at her intervention. She nodded, but I could tell she was still upset at the situation.

"What are you doing?" Liz 10 asked breaking the tension filled silence. I half expected the Doctor not to answer to her, but to my surprise he did.

"The worst thing I'll ever do. I'm going to pass a massive electrical charge through the Star Whale's brain. Should knock out all its higher functions, leave it a vegetable. The ship will still fly, but the whale won't feel it." He responded, still pulling wiring together and hitting buttons. I gasped. Surely, he couldn't do such a thing.

"But you can't." I begged. He glared at me until I looked away.

"That'll be like killing it." Amy exclaimed.

"Look, three options. One: I let the Star Whale continue in unendurable agony for hundreds more years. Two: I kill everyone on this ship. Three: I murder a beautiful, innocent creature as painlessly as I can. And then I find a new name, cos I won't be the Doctor anymore." He said.

"Then find another way! Because I don't believe-" The Doctor's voice yelling over the top of me cut me off. I had never seen him like this towards me before.

"Don't believe what Riana'Cekina? I have had just about enough of your opinions about me. But do tell me what you think I should do or be, because you obviously know better! Otherwise just shut up!" He shouted. My lip quivered slightly but his sharp demand did the job, I ceased speaking.

"There must be something we can do, some other way." Liz 10 tried. The Doctor turned his glare to her now.

"Nobody talk to me. Nobody human or Zell has anything to say to me today!" He screamed at us. With that he turned back to his task and continued to ignore us.

 _How had this day come to this?_ Was all that ran around in my mind. How could I be laughing with the Doctor and Amy at one stage and then next have the Doctor glaring in anger at me. Unwilling to even listen to reason. His superior attitude, his forever need to be right and save everyone and his need to take all the problems on himself. They reminded me too much of another person I knew. Yes, I was referring to myself. As much as I went on and on about how unfair my life was and how much I was downtrodden and told I wasn't good enough. I still had a need to be right all the time, to prove my mind was cleverer than everyone else's in the room. The Doctor hadn't helped by constantly telling me that I was brilliant.

Maybe he was right. Maybe I had overreacted when he had only been trying to save these people. I still refused to believe that Amy wasn't good enough. Making one mistake didn't condemn someone for life. Or did it? I should know of all people. But there had to be another way to make this situation right. It couldn't end with the Doctor not being the Doctor. What about all those future times he talked about? Or did they never occur. Was this the last adventure I had with the Doctor? This Doctor was the furthest I had ever seen. Did Amy go back home, did she never get to travel the stars and explore the wonders of the Universe?

 _Stop it._ I told myself. These endless questions wouldn't solve the problem. No something extraordinary had to. No _someone,_ needed to. It was the only way that the Doctor might forgive us. Or more importantly forgive Amy. If she could prove her worth.

We sat against one of the walls, Amy, Mandy and myself, watching as the Doctor continued to work. Amy looked completely lost. Mandy was scared and I was just empty. I looked when a noise distracted me to see three children enter the room. They were carrying equipment. One of them Mandy seemed to realise as she got up and ran over to a young boy calling out his name.

"Timmy! You made it, you're OK! It's me - Mandy." Mandy said, but became upset, when Timmy didn't respond to her. Amy and I became concerned when one of the roots rose up behind Mandy. Amy began to move towards her, but stopped when the root gently tapped Mandy on the shoulder. Mandy looked surprised but smiled as she petted it. I gaped. Amy also looked amazed, she looked as though something had occurred to her.

I was just about to question her on what she was thinking about, when I gasped as a hot burning sensation began in the locket. It travelled up my spine to behind my eyes. I closed my eyes as an overwhelming amount of information streamed into my brain.

* * *

 _The Doctor standing before me, speaking about the fascinatingly alien market. "C'mon, use your eyes. Notice everything… Notice everything."_

 _I am seeing Mandy crying._

 _I am hearing Liz 10's speaking, as she explains her decision. "Our children screamed. It came, like a miracle."_

 _Hawthorne is in front of me explaining why the children are present. "It won't eat the children."_

 _I am watching myself yelling at him. "Limited value! What makes you judge, jury and executioner? What gives you the right to throw people down into some monster's mouth… Maybe we should throw you to it and see if it spares you!"_

 _Liz 10 is speaking again. "Children screamed… Then it came… It's the last of its kind."_

 _I am remembering the Doctor with Mandy, the feelers in the Vator shaft, the glasses of water_.

 _The Doctor speaking to the two of us. "Just me now."_

 _Liz 10, "The last of its kind."_

 _Myself speaking to the Doctor, asking him about not interfering. "Is this how it works, Doctor? Never interfere with other peoples or planets..."_

 _Liz 10 words repeating in my head. "Children screamed." I am meeting the Doctor and a blue haired woman as a child in my backyard. Something from a fairy-tale._

" _...unless it's children crying." My own voice questions._

 _Liz 10's voice again. "The last of its kind." The Doctor explaining about his species. "Just me now." My own voice questioning Riana and the Doctor. "Unless there's children crying."_

 _I am replying to myself. "We never walk away from those who need us Amy. That's what the Doctor teaches us. Especially when there are children crying. We do everything in a power to make sure they never have to cry again."_

 _Hawthorne's voice echoes. "It won't eat the children." I am remembering the children playing when they arrived._

 _Liz 10's voice echoing distantly as she pleads for herself to understand. "Then it came. Like a miracle. The last of the Star Whales."_

 _Suddenly I understand…_

* * *

I was ripped back into my own body and struggled to process all the memories I had just witnessed. Things that were obviously not my own. The locket was pulsing in time with my own heartbeat. I looked over to Amy who was staring at Mandy and Timmy playing with the root harmlessly. It had been Amy, it was her memories I had seen.

Amy suddenly stood up and walked towards the Doctor. I followed, worried about what she was planning.

"Doctor, stop. Whatever you're doing, stop it now!" Amy said to him. It was if someone had struck me. Suddenly I understood what Amy saw, what she was going to do.

"Listen to her, Doctor, she noticed it. The thing that was wrong." I added. Amy seemed to be surprised at my statement, as if not sure what conclusion I had drawn.

"Sorry, Your Majesty, going to need a hand." Amy apologised as she grabbed Liz 10's hand and led her over to the voting booth. I followed closely behind.

"You sure about this Amy?" I questioned her. She met my eyes determinedly.

"I hope so." She replied. I knew in this moment I had to help her. She couldn't just make this decision alone. Not this time. If we were wrong, it was on both of us. I put my hand on top of her and with barely any resistance from the Queen we pressed the 'abdicate' button.

The Doctor had rushed over as he had spotted what we were going to do. "Amy, no! No! Riana, stop!" He shouted. A bellow came from the whale and the whole ship shook, but Amy and I grinned at each other. Somehow, we were still here and we had accomplished the impossible, even when the Doctor had given up.

"What have you both done?" The Doctor said. He was obviously confused and slightly panicked.

"Nothing at all. Am I right?" Amy said as she turned towards me. I grinned at her, the biggest smile I had in days.

"Absolutely nothing. Well except maybe increase our speed and make our pilot a whole lot happier." I replied. Amy's eyes shone as we both shared a special moment of understanding. Hawthorne confirmed my assessment.

"It's still here? I don't understand." Liz 10 asked in befuddlement. Amy walked over to her and looked her in the eye to explain. The Doctor became more shocked with every word.

"The Star Whale didn't come like a miracle all those years ago. It volunteered. You didn't have to trap it or torture it - that was all just you. It came because it couldn't stand to watch your children cry. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead, no future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind..." She said, then she looked over to the Doctor with her last words, with an awe filled look. "You couldn't just stand there and watch children cry."

The Doctor looked touched at Amy's monologue. His eyes sparkled with a deep emotion and it looked like he might in fact forgive Amy for her action.

"We never walk away. Especially when children cry. We always try to find a way to be better." I gently reminded him. He looked at me next and I knew I was also forgiven for my actions as well. But instead of replying he abruptly turned around and walked away out of the Tower. The others including Liz 10 looked stunned.

"Don't take it personally. I think the Doctor just needs a moment to process the events of today. In fact, he didn't have to do anything at all. It was Amy's quick thinking that did. So, let this be a lesson for all the days to come. Don't let there be any more secrets. No more masks. They only bring pain and I think there has already been far too much of that." I said taking charge of the situation, in the Doctor's absence. I tried not to show, how much I was still recovering from the emotionally charged day.

Liz 10 agreed. She began to order the smilers to spread the word, to others. To reassure them that everything was ok and they had nothing to fear. She also profusely thanked Amy and I for our service to her nation. With it she handed me her white porcelain mask and told us that from now on there wouldn't be any more secrets on Starship UK. That for as long as she reigned her people would know the truth of the Star Whales kindness. She said this as she put her hands-on Mandy and Timmy's shoulders.

Amy and I said one last goodbye before we left to find the Doctor. He couldn't have gone too far, but he probably went somewhere to think on the event. For me that meant as far away as possible from the dungeon, so hence up. It was a quiet trek up and for the most part both of us were lost in our own thoughts. Mine, in particular dwelled on my relationship with the Doctor. He had spoken of me understanding his reasoning before, but being too young now too. Did that mean that in the future I was less sympathetic with others and that I became crueller? Such a thought made me shudder. I would hopefully never let myself come to that.

"Thanks." Amy's quiet voice rang out in the silence.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"I said thank you, you know for trying to help me. And believing in me, when the Doctor didn't. I know it must be hard for you going against what the Doctor wants. You must be really close. Or that is how I always imagined you as a kid." She rambled on. I put my hand on her arm to stop her. She looked worried, as though she had said something wrong to me. I pulled her to me and hugged her. She let out a surprised squeak but awkwardly patted my back.

"Uh, not that I'm not for hugging Riana, but what exactly are you doing?" Amy asked.

"I'm… I have just had a really rough couple of days Amy and for once its nice to have someone who understands what it's like to be with the Doctor. He is just always so amazing and he expects everyone else to be as well. So when you let him down…well." I trailed off. Amy seemed to understand as she gave me a small smile.

"Yeah, I do know now. But you don't have to be right all the time Riana. I promise I'm not gonna pick on you every time you make a mistake or get angry. God knows he probably needs a reminder that you are only hum-ah I mean Zellian or something. Anyway, if it helps I'll treat you like all of my other friends." She laughed at her stumble and I joined in.

"Friend?" I asked, trying to contain the feeling of hope. I'd had far too few of those in my life and unfortunately I wasn't sure I would be very good at it.

"Of course, stupid. Although I warn ya, I'll probably nag you to death." She replied promptly. I laughed.

"Nag away Amy." I said. Amy and I continued to laugh all the way until we found the Doctor. He was standing by himself on an observation deck, looking out at the city below.

"From Her Majesty. She says there will be no more secrets on Starship UK." I said as I showed him the mask. We came up to stand beside him. He turned towards me when I spoke and looked deeply into my eyes. But he spoke to Amy.

"Amy, you could have killed everyone on this ship." He said as he broke eye contact with me.

"We didn't though." I reminded him.

"You could have killed a Star Whale." Amy replied.

"And you both saved it. I know, I know." He said. Looking between the both of us now. I realised what Amy had said before, had profoundly affected him.

"Amazing, though, don't you think? The Star Whale. All that pain and misery... and loneliness. And it just made it kind." Amy observed as she slyly turned to the Doctor.

"But you couldn't have known how it would react." He said, clearly not understanding Amy's hint. I sighed, sometimes the Doctor could be a bit thick. Especially for one so brilliant as him.

"YOU couldn't. But we've seen it before. Very old and very kind, and the very, very last. And the most impossible man who could never let a child cry. Sound a bit familiar?" I said taking hold of his hands. Amy was smiling at us. Clearly happy that everything was back to the way it was before.

"Oh, my beloved Azure Queen. How could I ever not need you? I'm sorry for all the things I said before. You know I could never mean them." He said as he whispered the last bit in my ear. He pulled me close and hugged me tightly. This time it didn't feel so strange. He was still ridiculous. But I think I could grow to like him. I cleared my throat and looked over towards Amy. The Doctor took my hint and released me.

"I think I also owe you an apology Amy. Your, brave, resourceful thinking saved everyone today." He said.

"And…" I started. The Doctor rolled his eyes at me but finished the sentence.

"And, you have more than proved that you belong in the TARDIS with us." He said. Amy looked ecstatic. She ran forward and threw herself in the Doctor's arms. The Doctor grunted with the extra force but laughed along with her.

"So you mean I really get to come?" Amy asked to confirm.

"You really, really do Amy." I answered. She then hugged me next, before putting her arms around both of our shoulders.

"Hey." Amy began.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"Gotcha." She replied. The Doctor looked surprised but laughed along with us.

"Ha! Gotcha." He responded.

"Gotcha, indeed." I added. For once today, feeling like everything was going to be ok. Sure, my life was never going to be perfect. Not that it had ever been before. But it had been normal. But now, with a friend and a man that made my head spin, I don't think I could have it any other way.

We made our way back towards the TARDIS, Amy questioning the Doctor about whether we should let them know we were leaving. I for one was only half listening as I wanted to take the longest, hottest shower, in the history of all hot showers. Then eat something.

"For the rest of their lives. Oh, the songs they'll write! Never mind them. Big day tomorrow." The Doctor said as we entered the TARDIS. Amy seemed to freeze in place. I glanced at her curiously.

"Sorry, what?" She asked.

"You ok Amy?" I said. She didn't reply.

"It's always a big day tomorrow. We've got a time machine. I skip the little ones." The Doctor tartly replied. I laughed. Oh that was far too true, why do anything by halves if you could throw it on its head and flip it upside down? I suppose that was just the Doctor for you.

"You know what I said about getting back for tomorrow morning... Have you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just... Just because you could?" She hesitantly said.

"I have. When my father…well he was very angry with me at something I did. So I ran away." I replied.

"Once...a long time ago." The Doctor said as well.

"What happened?" Amy asked. The Doctor didn't look like he was going to respond so I did.

"I was eventually found and well, let's just say, I didn't do it again." I said. Amy looked disappointed at the lack of information. But I wasn't going to tell her about that, unless I really had to. Just then the phone began to ring. Well at least I thought it was a phone, it sure sounded like the dialling of one. But perhaps aliens had things that sounded like phones that were in fact secret toothbrush alarms. Or maybe I was being stupid.

"People phone you?" Amy asked.

"Well, it's a phone box. Would you mind?" The Doctor asked of Amy as he began to work the controls. I on the other hand gazed around in wonder at the TARDIS. It was so different from the other Doctor's. So much warmer and more inviting. It was completely, and utterly ridiculous. As Jackson had once said. And so much like this Doctor. It occurred to me that I had yet to give this Doctor a name. _Chulki_ was the last Doctor's name. For he indeed was a terrible flirt. But this Doctor was so different. He was simply idiotically brilliant. I knew then what I would call him.

" _Kaluskalu."_ I tried. The Doctor looked over at me in question.

"Yes Riana." He asked. I laughed, he even answered to it.

"Ha, you actually answer to that?" I said.

"Yes. Unfortunately, as much as I have tried to get you to pick something else, you insisted on sticking with it." He answered. I looked quizzically at him.

"You seem to give me names, with each different regeneration. You have already named my 10th self and now this self. Although I wish it wasn't that. I can't see what was wrong with keeping my last one." He whined. I snorted.

"It wouldn't have fit at all." I replied. "Besides this makes so much more sense. I like it." With that I turned to head towards my room. Amy was on the phone speaking to someone.

"Hello? Sorry, who? No, seriously. Who? Says he's Prime Minister. First the Queen, now the Prime Minister. Get about, don't you?" She said. I stopped to listen in.

"Which Prime Minister?" The Doctor inquired as the TARDIS harmed and rocked gently in the void.

"Er, which Prime Minister? The British one." She answered.

"Which British one?" He inquired. It seemed to me that the Doctor knew too many important people, whoever this Prime Minister was. The Doctor took the phone from Amy and began to speak into it for a bit before he hung up. I was about to exit before he called me back.

"Riana, I have something for you. Amy go and shower, you need it." He said as Amy huffily agreed, marching out of the room. She waved at me before she left. I made my way over to the Doctor to stand beside him.

"You know, you need one as well. Mr Smells-Just-As-Bad-As-The-Rest-Of-us." I poked him in the arm as I said it. He smiled at me.

"Yes well I'm sure that can wait. There is something we need to do that more important. But before that, I wanted to say again how sorry I am for becoming so angry at you. My behaviour, Riana was unacceptable. And I must never say such things again." He said seriously.

"If that's all that's worrying you Doctor don't worry on it. I know I'm not your Riana yet. But I'm sure I will be one day. But Doctor, I am still the same person I have been my entire life. That won't change." I said.

"No. Please don't say that. I was wrong. So very wrong. Riana….Oh Riana, I wish I could tell you what you mean to me. But it's too early for you yet. Just always know, that you are the most important person to me in this universe. And you have made me a better man. I know I won't always be right and sometimes I will get angry and say things that I don't mean. But you must never give up on me. Even when it seems like I have given up on you. Because Riana, I will never mean it. I am a damaged old man. And somehow, I have someone like you in my life. You have such a kind heart and you always try to make things better. Even when it doesn't always work." He kissed the top of my head gently.

"I don't deserve you, but you keep coming back to me. Please have patience, with me. I know you don't always have all the answers. That you can't save everyone. But even if I say differently don't believe a word of it. Always follow your heart." He said softly. I gazed at him and tried to take in what he was saying. Is this all he wanted me to know? He seemed to realise I didn't fully understand as he sighed and gently kissed my forehead. With a lighter tone, he pulled something out of the console and handed it to me.

"For you, my dear." He said. I looked down to see another charm. It was a white porcelain mask, exactly like Liz 10's. I held my arm out as he placed the charm on my bracelet with the gold time keeping device charm on it. He clicked it back in place, so now I had two that glittered in the light. Somehow it felt right that it should represent this adventure. A mask to symbolise secrets. And hidden truths. An idea occurred to me.

"Am I allowed to select the codeword?" I asked of him.

"Of course, you have chosen quite a few over the years." He replied.

"Then I have the perfect one, Doctor. Hidden truths." I said. The Doctor seemed to take a minute to consider it before nodding.

"Very appropriate, given the circumstances. I have heard this one before. I can give you a hint if you wish." He asked. I looked on stunned. He already knew it.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means that when next we meet, which I can't tell you exactly about, spoilers. It will be in my past, a much younger me. I can give you a hint to help you." He offered. I thought about it. It would certainly help prepare me.

"Fine." I agreed. The Doctor looked me over before he seemed to realise something. Smirking he spoke; "The hint is this: Beware of the light. The answer lies with the captain. Everything is not as it seems."

How that was meant to help I didn't get to ask as the Doctor smiled at me in farewell. I looked down to see a familiar red light fill the room. The tingling began and the warmth filled my body. I knew I was being dragged to another part of the Doctor's timeline and much to my horror and embarrassment I had yet to wash my sick covered night gown.

"I haven't even had a shower. How is this fair?" I yelled. The Doctor laughed kissing me on the head.

"Farewell my beloved Riana, until we meet again. And don't worry, I won't care nearly as much as you do." With that the red light filled my vision and the familiar stretching feeling began. I only hoped wherever I ended up allowed me a shower and a change of clothes. And for Akhaten's sake a pair of shoes.

 **Next Chapter: 42- Hot, Hot, Hot!**

 **Akheet Word List**

Dwinni - Childlike

Shahk- Telekinetically Stun

Zuali – Objects/People/Places (a noun referring to broad range of things)

Itz'ksikai- An extremely offensive term that has several varied meanings. It can be likened in its most common use as a swear word which roughly translates to 'licker of a mother Gahzehn's (think like a slug or worm) genitalia'.

Kanwaii- Insanely mad.

Tooktin- A strange or crazy person of low caste.

Kaluskalu – Fool of epic proportions. (A ridiculous idiot)

Chulki – Lover of romantic attention (A flirt)


	7. 42- Hot, Hot, Hot!

**AN/ Hi all. I think it's been far too long since I updated this story. I've just been so caught up with all the drama of this little thing called life. University, moving house, work you name it. My most sincere apologies to my patient readers who have taken the time to view this story and follow it. But here as a treat to you all (and because I am currently on holidays) the first chapter of several to come over the next week or so.**

 **I love this episode! The drama is soo intense and really brings out the best of the characters. As I was writing this, I was inspired by my muse to change things up a bit. Don't worry, Riana will get to play her part, but I just thought her situation would cause some interesting reactions from our resident time travelling alien.**

 **If you look very closely you might also pick up on some major spoilers for upcoming episodes and perhaps spot some hints about Riana's background. I'll leave it up to you to see if you can guess correctly.**

 **Without further ado**

 **Chapter 7**

 **jd009**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: 42- Hot, Hot, Hot!**

As soon as the red light disappeared, I felt myself stumble forward as the compressing sensation had thrown me off. I half landed with my hands grasping onto something, a seat I thought it was and I blinked my eyes numerous times to try and restore my vision. It worked and I realised that I had thankfully landed in the TARDIS this time. Much to my joy I recognised it. It was _chulki's_ TARDIS. Which meant that at least I knew what he looked like, or at least I hoped I did. Although the other Doctor had indicated that he had indeed known me, or had memory of this time. The question then was, as the Doctor's hint swirled in my mind, how much earlier was this for him?

I slowly pulled myself up using the pilots seat, until I could get a better look at my surroundings. The TARDIS was empty at the moment and there was the familiar humming beneath my feet. A gentle pressure on my mind alerted me to the TARDIS's presence. She was glad that I had arrived, even if it wasn't so much in physical words. More like a pleasant tickling sensation in my head. I smiled up at her.

"Nice to see you too, girl. Tell me do you know where the Doctor is?" I asked. A loud humming and the increase of pressure in my head, led me to believe she was telling me he was around here somewhere. I thanked her as I wondered around the console. Looking at all the buttons and knobs, I ran my hands over some of them, wondering idly what each of them did. Not for the first time, I considered how the Doctor could remember what each button did and had an inkling that perhaps he indeed didn't entirely know. From the agreeing hum and sense of amusement I received from the TARDIS, I took it she agreed with me.

The tinkling of the two charms on my bracelet reminded me again how quickly time had flown. By my calculations, it had been nearer to four and half days since I had first met the Doctor. Since I had last seen my mother and slept in my own room. How could my life changed so drastically? Here I was standing in a Time Machine, probably somewhere in space, covered in a Star Whale's sick, surrounded by aliens. Was this seriously meant to be my life from now on? I laughed slightly to myself before reminding myself that I needed a shower, food, sleep and a pair of shoes.

Just as I had decided to go and fulfil that list in that order, a pair of voices caught my attention. They were coming from down one of the corridors that lead off further into the TARDIS. One of them was the familiar voice of the 10th Doctor, the other was a throaty woman's voice that I didn't recognise.

"It's massive, but how exactly is there a swimming pool in the library?" The woman asked.

"Not sure, the TARDIS just moves things around as she sees fit. Can be a bit annoying if you're looking for the loo and you come across the water fountain room. Mind you, it's a good place to relax if you're looking for a good place to read a book. But then the library might suffice just as well. Except of course if you want to swim and read at the same time and have to go to the loo and then well it might get a bit complicated." The Doctor's voice rambled on. I laughed, the Doctor really did make no sense sometimes.

"Ah, right. I still think this box is completely mad. But completely amazing as well." The other woman laughed. I got my first good look at her as they entered. She was quite a bit shorter than me, with dark skin, slightly darker than Liz 10's had been. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Altogether I thought she was quite beautiful. Even if she had rounded ears. She wore a black cotton cardigan, black material pants and an extremely short sleeved, low-neckline red top. She had a simple beaded necklace that was tight around her neck. Her hair was pinned high on her head in an elegant manner and altogether her appearance was presentable but not too over the top.

The Doctor, much to my delight, was indeed the 10th one, sexy hair and all. He wore a blue suit this time with a maroon coloured shirt underneath, no tie. His neckline was open to display a dark grey shirt underneath and it afforded the viewer a tantalising glimpse of his long, shapely neck. I shook my head, this was so not the time to be checking him out. I had to remind myself. I'm not sure what exactly about this Doctor made me so, well…tingly inside. Made my stomach flutter and my heart pound, but he certainly proved very resourceful at it.

When they both spotted me standing there, the Doctor let out a wide smile and rushed towards me. The other woman started to smile, just as wide- clearly, she recognised me- but stopped when she apparently took in my appearance. She seemed to smell the air before pinching her noise with one hand and scrunching up her face in distaste. The Doctor on the other hand had no such qualms and was about to embrace me, before I managed to stop him, by placing one of my hands on his chest to halt his movement. He looked hurt for a moment before I irritatingly explained about my situation.

"If you don't want to smell like sick, which I highly recommend you don't. Then please refrain from embracing me." I scolded him. The Doctor, paused as if taking in my appearance before his own nose wrinkled.

"I see. Where exactly have you been? You smell worse than…well, I'm frankly not sure what smells worse than that at the moment." He said as he laughed at my miserable expression. I huffed at him in annoyance before stepping around him, heading for the ramp that lead off further into the TARDIS.

"Riana, please don't be like that!" He whined. "I didn't mean it." I sighed turning around.

"I can't tell you, other than the fact that at the moment, I am a tiny bit annoyed with you and your 'brilliant' escape ideas. Also, I am in my nightgown, I haven't eaten in nearly two days and I need a shower and a pair of descent shoes. So, unless you are going to object I am going to my room to clean up." I explained. The other woman was outright laughing now.

"Oh, I knew I missed you." She cried between tears of laughter. I take it she had seen something similar like this before.

"Right, yeah, go and do that. I'll just be here, with Martha doing stuff…" He awkwardly rambled on. I rolled my eyes at his childish behaviour before storming out. I heard the woman 'Martha' I suppose her name was, laugh harder and the Doctor join in after a bit. I followed the prodding of the TARDIS as I finally found my room. I had to stop and stare for a minute as I realised that it was different from before. There were less things inside it for one and the workbench was clear. The bed spread was a mess as if someone had got out of it quickly and I spotted several empty mugs on the table in front of the fireplace, with an open book lying on the arm of the armchair.

I sighed, this was never going to get any less strange. I just had to make sure that I didn't touch anything that I didn't know about. With that I walked forward and spied an empty shelf where several assortments of alien trinkets lined the shelves. I found an empty place and put the porcelain mask on it. It was as good a place as any I supposed. It was sort of eerie, knowing that it was most likely my future self that had put these things here. I spotted a paper book? I think it was called, by some person called Charles Dickens, another by a William Shakespeare. There seemed to be a collection of them, lined up neatly with their spines facing outwards. Next to the mask lay a golden arrow, of all things? Making a note to myself to investigate later, I headed straight for the bathroom.

It was much cleaner than the last time I had entered. With the piles of my dirty clothes having been removed. Teeth cleaner, by itself in a cup next to the water dispenser. Face products lying neatly atop it as well. The mirror showing my reflection, blue hair much too dark for my normal colour and pasted to my head. My bright blue eyes, were tired and showed signs of stress in their depths. My face was haggard looking as though I had been beat up slightly. With deep bags under my eyes. A serious expression, pulled my mouth into a firm line. My once pristine nightgown was an almost pink hue. Uh!

I quickly ripped it off and shoved it to the side. Peeling the sleep shorts off and adding them to the pile. I unbraided my hair, having to work slightly to peel apart the stiff strands. I turned on the hot water and nearly scalded myself in my haste to get rid of the sick off me. Once I had adjusted the temperature, I was quick to clean my hair and body. It felt like this was becoming too routine, as though after every adventure or encounter with the Doctor I would need some sort of shower. Applying the _Almali_ flower scented lotions liberally, I sighed in relief to smell so much better.

Turning the hot water off, I dried myself off before heading for my wardrobe to find something clean to wear. There were so many clothes of every assorted colour, I almost didn't know what to do with myself. Deciding upon a red ankle length dress. It was made of a chiffon material and was the colour of _chuali._ It had an elastic waist and short loose sleeves. I spied a pair of black gladiator* like shoes. They came to my lower calf and were zipped up from the back of the foot. They fit nicely and would be perfect if I needed to run at all, with thick flat soles. I dried off my hair and brushed it out, pinning it up at the base of my skull, into a low bun.

The locket went with the colour I was wearing, so I made no attempt to hide it. Instead, making sure it was clean and had no sick on it. I did the same for my silver bracelet and its two charms. Deciding I had done all I could to make myself presentable, I exited my bedroom and went back towards the console room. The Doctor and Martha, I think her name was, were still there. They were discussing some topic that I had missed the start of, and stopped talking when I came closer. The Doctor looked me over and smirked. I raised one brow, daring him to make a comment.

"Looking better I see. I was just discussing where we should go next. I was thinking the beaches of Tanguine, in the Draasta sytem. Crystal clear green oceans and pink sublime sand. Plus, they have this flavour of fruit there that is literally to die for. What d'ya think?" He said as he manically spun around the TARDIS. I laughed along with Martha, glad to see the Doctor in such high spirits.

"It sounds wonderful Doctor, however I am in serious need of food, before we do anything drastic." I replied. The Doctor stopped mid tracks and seemed to realise what I was saying.

"Right, well I could take you both to a restaurant in France. Has the best cheese and wine." He said. I held up my hands to silence him. However, Martha answered for me.

"As nice as that sounds Doctor, I'm sure Riana, just wants to eat here in the TARDIS. It seems like she has a had a rough few days." Martha said. I nodded in thanks towards her. The Doctor looked slightly offended, as though the idea of me turning down a chance to travel to another planet was completely ludicrous.

"Would one of you mind showing me where the kitchen actually is?" I asked. At this, both ceased to smile. The Doctor in particular seemed to recoil from my words.

"M'sorry, say again." He said asking for clarification.

"The kitchen, Doctor. Where is it? Never mind, I'll just ask the TARDIS." I said in exasperation. Making for the exit I was caught off guard by the Doctor's firm grip on my right wrist. He pulled me back around and was gazing intently at the silver bracelet on my wrist. He seemed to be counting and looked completely lost when he noticed the two charms on it.

"Riana, how early is this for you?" He asked. I frowned in confusion at his face. Why did he always appear so devastated when I mentioned that I was young? Everyone was young once. I shrugged in response.

"Riana, please what's the codeword?" He beseeched. I sighed in frustration.

"Hidden truths." I said promptly. His breath caught and his eyes darkened. I frowned. Why was the Doctor angry, or was he sad? I couldn't tell, I just sensed that something was wrong.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" I asked him. The Doctor only took my hand and looked at the charms sadly.

"Have you done Shakespeare yet?" he asked. I could tell that he already knew the answer, but that he needed me to state it. I shook my head.

"Doctor, I don't know what you referring to. What's a Shakespeare anyway? Hang on, I've heard that name before, somewhere." I said as I tried to remember where I had seen it. He looked resigned.

"Very early for you then." He said softly. I pulled my wrist back from his grasp.

"Hang on, what's the codeword for you then. You told me that I had to ask you, not the other way around. Well, you did the first time and then you said something different. This is confusing. Wait the other you said that he had already done this. So that means I know more than you." I babbled. The Doctor suddenly put his hand over my mouth to stop me talking. My eyes widened in surprise.

"Shh. Don't say anymore. Yes, you have clearly come from my future. I don't recognise the codeword, so that means we aren't in sync. The last codeword for me was 'Rebirth'. As for what Shakespeare is, he is a person, a very famous wordsmith from Earth, that had a profound influence on modern society." The Doctor's reply was prompt and to the point, not allowing me to get a word in edgewise. I nodded, telling him I understood. When he was satisfied that I wouldn't reveal anything more about the future he removed his hand.

"But why is that a problem?" I asked again. He sighed running his hand through his hair in this version of him's nervous habit.

"It's complicated. I'm assuming I have told you, or will tell you, about our situation and how it works yes?" He asked. I shrugged half-heartedly.

"Sort of, haven't really had a lot of time to talk about it. _In_ between all the running for our lives and saving people thing. Not to mention you are really good at avoiding my questions." I said irritably.

"Now unless there is a point to your question, or if you aren't going to answer mine, I am going to go and find the kitchen and eat something for the first time in two days." I said as I gave him a slight glare and set off for the kitchen, wherever it was. He didn't reply so I assumed he didn't have any more to add and frankly at the moment I was too hungry to care.

* * *

I eventually found the kitchen, with some small…ok big help from the TARDIS. She was pretty good at getting inside your head, I'll give the Doctor that. Not that I wasn't used to forms of communication outside the norm of speaking, such as psychometry and empathy, it was just less telepathy per se. So it took me longer to adapt to her methods of communication.

The kitchen was a large room with a table and chairs. Various cupboards and a pantry stocked with food from all over the galaxy. Some appliances were so advanced I had never seen the like of them before and I would be doubtful to touch unless I wanted to cause some sort of explosion, by pressing the wrong button. Others were so primitive and ancient that I'd have more luck using sticks and stones than getting any productive use out of them.

Luckily most of them I could predict their use and if I couldn't it was labelled. As I'm sure the case was if the Doctor travelled with various people over the years and none of them knew how to cook themselves food. Although the TARDIS did a marvellous job making food appear out of seemingly thin air.

I simply only had to think about the _Guat'ii_ dish my mother used to make for it to appear. All ripe _lenkin_ meat slices dipped in _Ooali_ gravy. A dash of fresh _ziminka_ herbs on top and before I knew it a steaming bowl was in front of me. I literally think I salivated, not a good picture, at the sight of it. Caring little for decorum I dug in using a utensil that had been provided by the TARDIS. I washed it down with _gobjem,_ and finished with a bowl of _chuali_ and cream for dessert. I rubbed my delightfully full stomach in content as I took a moment to simply relax.

I was warm, dry, clean and fed. The only thing that could possible make it better and I was seriously contemplating was going to sleep for an hour or two. Then I could get up and just try to take it slow for a day or two to catch my breath, before anymore insane adventures, where I nearly died. I would also get a chance to interrogate the Doctor on a few things. Of course, it was not to be, as like anything with the Doctor, it was one dangerous situation after another. I of course didn't know that when I made my way back towards where Martha and the Doctor were.

I waltzed in, unconsciously humming one of my favourite songs, by Tiika Zelohnay 'Light'. _"…Сause you are loved. You are loved more than you know. I hereby pledge all of my days. To prove it so. Though your heart is far too young to realize. The unimaginable light you hold inside..."**_ I sang softly. My voice must have reached the Doctor's ear as he looked up when I entered. He smiled softly at me. I couldn't help but return the gesture.

"Found the kitchen I take it." He observed. I laughed as I patted my stomach to emphasise my point of being full.

"Yup, you could say that. The TARDIS is absolutely amazing! She made me Guat'ii, I haven't had that in nearly 6 years." I said excitedly. He smiled in fond amusement at me. Obviously, whatever had bothered him before he had hidden or had under control now. I resolved to not let it bother me. That didn't mean I wasn't going to pester him until he answered all of my questions though.

"So how about those beaches?" The Doctor asked Martha and me. I shrugged not really all that bothered where we ended up, I didn't really have that much intention of leaving the TARDIS anyway. Martha agreed and the Doctor started playing with the controls. I sat myself on the pilot's seat as he jumped and spun around the TARDIS in his usual maniac manner. Babbling at 20 million miles an hour.

Martha was smiling at him, in I was surprised to see a more than affectionate way. Perhaps slightly more than a passing fancy. How could this be? It wasn't like I had any apparent claim to the Doctor. So why did that bother me slightly? I shook my head, trying to clear the confusing thoughts. Just because the Doctor had kissed me once, didn't mean he…

I was never going to finish that thought.

Focusing my attention back to the present, I noticed Martha was playing with a metallic device in her hands. While she was still listening to the Doctor, she had a sad look on her face and was staring intently at it.

"You know unless that device works by spontaneously coming to life by glaring at it, I think it's going to remain immobile and inoperative until you actually do something with it." I said gently. I smiled to soften the serious tone of my voice. She glanced up in shock at me, but seemed to understand what I was implying.

"It won't. Be nice if it did though. But even if I open it and tried to call anyone, I'm too far away to even get a signal." She told me holding up the slim silver device. I got up to have a closer look.

"What is it, exactly? I haven't seen anything like this before." I asked her. She looked confused, as if something I had just said didn't make any sense.

"It's a phone. You know you call people on it. You do know what a phone is don't you?" By now Martha's voice had risen an octave in disbelief.

"Nope never heard of one. Looks fairly primitive, but if you contact people on it, then it's a communicator yeah?" I asked to clarify. She looked lost at my wording but the Doctor replied in her stead.

"Yep, fairly standard device for 2007. Mobile phone. Allows you to call others, connect to the internet etc. Your basic communications device." He said. I nodded although I still couldn't believe that it didn't have any touch technology or holographics in it.

"Speaking of connecting, Martha give me your phone for a minute." The Doctor instructed.

"What why?" Martha asked, reluctant to hand it over.

"Because, I'm about to upgrade it. You say you can't get a signal, well that's about to change. Universal Roaming. Anywhere, or anywhen." He said grinning. Martha impressed handed over her phone. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began to use it on Martha's phone. While both of us stood nearby, watching. The Doctor walked around the centre console, still working on the device, before it made a beeping sound.

"There we go! Universal Roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again." He exclaimed, clearly pleased with himself. I smiled at him indulgently as the Doctor seemed to also need someone to stroke his supersized ego occasionally. He threw the phone back to Martha, who caught it one-handed. Indeed, the screen now displayed "Universal Roaming Activated". I was impressed.

"No way! But it's... too mad! You're telling me I can call anyone, anywhere in Space and Time on my mobile?!" She said smiling brilliantly at him. The Doctor grinned back as well, clear delight in his eyes at seeing her disbelief at his genius.

"Long as you know the area code. Frequent Fliers' privilege. Go on. Try it." He encouraged her. Martha opened the device and began to press a series of buttons on the slim silver device. I hovered near her shoulder trying to see if it would work. Suddenly the TARDIS jolted, throwing both the Doctor, Martha and myself to the floor. The monitor began to flash red. I knew this was never a good sign, particularly with the Doctor as it usually indicated another adventure.

"Distress signal! Locking on!" The Doctor shouted as he used his foot to activate a switch on the console. "Might be a bit of... Turbulence. Sorry! Come on Riana and Martha! Let's take a look!" The Doctor shouted as he pulled himself up from the ground, as though he a had done this a million times. In retrospect, he probably had. He rushed over to the doors to get a look at where we had ended up. Martha was glaring in the Doctor's direction as she attempted to regain her balance. I huffed in complaint as my tired and battered body took yet another beating.

I stood up and offered Martha a hand. She took it without hesitation, again speaking volumes that she knew and trusted me. I would have to inform her at some point that I had never met her before. I already knew that my day was far from over and that it was about to get far more dangerous again.

"Distress signal, huh? He never does do it by halves does he." I said with wry amusement. Martha shook her in disbelief.

"Not ever. You remember that time on the moon, with the Judoon and how he let himself be vampirized so we could catch the bad guy. Was just 'passing through', as if he can ever walk away from trouble!" Martha laughed as if what she had just said made any sense to me. I grimaced slightly, trying not to upset her as I had the Doctor, by making her realise I didn't know who she was, or how we had met. Also, I couldn't figure out what she meant by the moon or vampirized. Humans really did the oddest things, I was beginning to realise, like shaking hands and having red hair!

I knew vaguely of the Judoon, which were some form of intergalactic police force, which worked for the Shadow Proclamation. They were mostly thugs that caused trouble as far as I was concerned.

"Uh, right. We should, um go…you know make sure the Doctor doesn't get into too much trouble." I said a bit hesitantly. Martha frowned but didn't comment on my slow answer.

"Yeah. Trouble and the Doctor should be the same thing." With a last parting look over shoulder at me she ran after the Doctor. I followed more sedately behind, glancing once more around the TARDIS, wondering when I would see it next. Eventually after one last deep breath to calm myself and a parting hum from the TARDIS I followed.

What I walked out to was like some sort of boiler room or cooker. It was glowing red and there was so much steam it was hard to clearly see where we had landed. The Doctor was just ahead with Martha.

"Whoa, now that is hot." He commented. Although he made no move to remove either his suit jacket or tie, so he mustn't feel it very much. An automated computer voice sounded above us.

" _Automated distress signal transmitted."_ It said. I fanned my hands slightly against my face trying to cool myself. While Zell could stand several extremes, such as extreme cold, heat on the hand was not one of them. We were far too prone to heat exhaustion and becoming ill from too elevated temperatures after prolonged exposure. It had to do with our nervous system and how our brains passed signals though our bodies. Heat seemed to dry them out and interrupt the natural process. It didn't help that our natural body temperature was only 14 degrees Celsius.

Hence while Martha took her jacket off and threw it back into the target, she didn't almost collapse from the sudden drop in temperatures. I blew a breath to cool myself and gripped the side of the TARDIS as I gave myself a minute to adjust to the heat.

"Whuff, it's like a sauna in here." Martha stated as she went over to where the Doctor had squatted down to observe some pipes. I gasped as I tried to stand upright and only inhaled moist stifling air.

"Venting systems. Working at full pelt, trying to cool down. Wherever it is we are. Well, if you can't stand the heat." The Doctor observed as he walked towards the door. I tried to follow but I was having trouble breathing now. Akhaten damn all, Zell were not made for this sort of heat.

"D-doctor…" I gasped out, now nearly doubled over on the floor. He must not have heard me as he had opened a door and stepped out of the room. Martha followed him. I could vaguely hear a conversation going on outside but I only heard bits of it, through the stars that had started to cloud my vision. The painful throbbing in my head and the wringing in my ears. I shouldn't be having this bad of a reaction because of some heat.

Maybe it was because my body was so exhausted from my last trip with the Doctor. Or the sudden increase in temperatures that hadn't allowed me to adjust properly, or maybe it was the pulsing coming from my chest.

Wait pulsing. That wasn't my heart, it was the locket! I brought one of my hands up to it and only briefly touched it as I ripped out of my body so suddenly it almost hurt.

* * *

 _I was standing beside the Doctor and Martha outside of the boiler like room. The Doctor was speaking to a woman and two men who had come running from down the corridor at our arrival. They all appeared to be sweating heavily and out of breath._

" _Oi, you two!" The younger of the two men called out to the Doctor and Martha._

" _Get out of there!" The woman, a relatively tall proud looking woman with dark hair said._

" _We were only trying to escape the heat." Martha says tentatively. The man who had spoken the first time suddenly pointed at the door where I knew my body still lay._

" _Seal that door, now!" He yelled. This seemed to spur the Doctor out of his confusion as he turned around and yelled for the men to stop as they both went to shut the bulkhead._

" _No! Wait! Martha where is Riana?" He said frantically. Martha seemed to only just realise my absence. A panicked look overtook her features as she joined the Doctor in yelling for the men to stop._

" _She was just behind me. I mean she was acting sort of funny…but I swear she left the TARDIS after me." She said breathlessly. The Doctor pushed to two men aside from where they were standing and rushed forward back into the room. I followed like some sort of disposed spirit._

 _The woman demanded to know what he was doing. They followed behind into the sauna like room to see my motionless form lying on the floor. The Doctor ran over yelling my name as he rolled me over on the floor. I caught my breath as I glimpsed myself from this weird position._

 _My eyes seemed to be staring off endlessly into space. My pupils were blown far too wide making the blue in my eyes seem like tiny rings. My skin had taken on an unhealthy red flush and blue hair had come partially undone from my low bun framing my face. Sweat glistened on my forehead and my breathing seemed far too erratic. But the most startling thing was the unnatural red glow from the locket around my neck._

 _The Doctor looked as though someone had just told him someone died. He knelt beside me and felt my pulse as he listened to make sure I was breathing. Martha gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. The woman looked surprised to see another person. She still did not show as much sympathy as she told them to hurry up and leave the room. The Doctor glared at her but did as she asked as he easily scooped my form up off the ground, and existed out back into the corridor._

 _The Doctor gently shifted me in his arms he turned to face the other Humans in the room. Martha walked up and ran her gaze expertly over me. She touched my head before letting out a soft hiss at feeling my skin._

" _Doctor she's dangerously hot. I don't know what wrong with her. But if a human was that hot we would have to cool them down, because if we don't they will die." She said agitatedly._

" _Who are you? What are you doing on my ship?" The woman said again. Watching closely as the Doctor examined me, before turning to her._

" _Are you police?" The other young man asked. The Doctor sharply turned to face him._

" _Why would we be police?" The Doctor said. Martha whom was still worriedly observing my prone form, answered before the Doctor could berate him._

" _We got your distress signal." She replied. She ran her hand over my forehead again._

" _Doctor!" she reminded him urgently._

" _What's wrong with her?" The other man asked, staring at me with obvious confusion._

" _I forgot. I shouldn't have left her alone. She's a Zell, Martha. They can't handle heat well and a sudden increase in temperature interferes with their bodies natural process of regulation. Particularly with electrical impulses from the brain. It dries them out causes eventual death when their bodies can't even think to tell themselves to move. Causes them to enter into a sort of coma to try and preserve life energy." He said._

" _Then we have to get her somewhere she can cool down." Martha answered easily. The Doctor shook his head. Martha appeared confused._

" _It's not just the heat, its partly the locket. Remember what she told you about how she travels around my timeline. Well the locket is responsible, she has never entirely told me how it does it, or the full extent of its abilities, but the fact that it is intrinsically linked with her tells me it might be the only thing keeping her alive right now." He explained._

" _Yes but we still have to get her somewhere where she can be looked after. We should get her back to the TARDIS." Martha suggested. The Doctor seemed to agree with this statement as he turned back to the dark-haired woman._

" _Tell me, if this is a ship, why can't I hear the engines?" he demanded._

" _It went dead four minutes ago." Was her prompt reply, she obviously wasn't too impressed with the Doctor. Martha cleared her throat to remind the Doctor again of our situation._

" _So maybe we should stop chatting and get to Engineering. Captain." The older man said towards the woman who must be the captain of this ship. The Captain…_

 _There was something I had forgotten to tell the Doctor, something his future self had told me, what was it? Curse my slow mind, I couldn't remember, but I had a feeling it would be important later._

 _The Doctor seemed to disagree._

" _No I have to get my friend to my ship, she's too ill to go anywhere at the moment-" But whatever he was going to say was cut off as an automated computer voice sounded._

" _ **Secure closure active.**_ _" The Captain and all the others turned as a loud clang rang out behind them. A young woman appeared sprinting through the doors as all of them slammed shut behind her._

" _What!" The Captain said._

" _The ships gone mad." The older man yelled. The woman who had been running through the corridors came panting up towards them._

" _Who activated secure closure? I nearly got locked in to area twenty-seven. Who are you lot?" The young woman said as she looked over Martha, the Doctor and my unconscious form in his arms. The bulkhead behind suddenly slammed shut. The Doctor went to answer but Martha beat him to the punch._

" _He's the Doctor and I'm Martha. Hello." She said. The young woman seemed confused when Martha didn't introduce me._

" _So, what wrong with the other girl in his arms?" She asked._

" _Her names Riana and she is very sick, the heat has caused her to collapse. But I more want to know who you lot all are?" He demanded. The young woman looked slightly taken aback._

" _Uh, I'm Erina, that's Captain McDonnell, the young ones Riley and the other one is Scannell." Erina answered slowly. I was only half listening to their conversation as I had noticed Martha's apparent distraction. She had walked over to one of the windows and seemed to be caught in an almost trance like state._

" _ **Impact projection forty-two minutes twenty-seven seconds.**_ _" The computers voice rang out. I began to have a bad feeling about this day. McDonnell suddenly turned to the others and there was something like desperation in her eye._

" _We'll get out of this. I promise." She said to them._

" _Doctor." Martha's frantic voice yelled. I ran over to where she stood and gazed out into the emptiness of space. Except it wasn't entirely empty. The entire porthole was almost entirely taken up by something from my worst nightmares._

" _Forty-two minutes until what?" The Doctor asked, apparently not having heard Martha's frantic voice._

" _Doctor! Look." Martha yelled again. This time the Doctor's attention was caught. If I could yell I would, but I could only gasp silently as McDonnell answered for me._

" _Forty-two minutes until we crash into the sun." For indeed the entire ship seemed to be on a head on collision with the sun. The Doctor suddenly ran forward with me in his arms as he joined Martha at the porthole and looked out into space. He didn't stay there long as he ran back towards McDonnell and agitatedly began to question her._

" _How many crew members on board?" He demanded._

" _Seven, including us." She replied._

" _We transport cargo across the galaxy. Everything's automated. We just keep the ship spaceworthy." Scannell added._

" _Call the others, I'll get you out. Come Martha we have to get Riana to the med bay." He instructed. He began to turn back to area 30 doors and was about to open them. He set me down gently against the side of the corridor._

" _What's he doing?" Riley yelled as all the crew members rushed to stop him opening the door. It was too late however as a blast of blistering air flew from the room and pushed the Doctor off his feet. He yelled as he fell and hit the ground. Erina pulled down her wielding mask and pushed the door shut again. Martha rushed forwards and pulled the Doctor out of the way. There was a relieved breath from everyone in the room when the situation came to an end._

" _But my ship's in there!" The Doctor said desperately as his gaze fell on to my limp body._

" _In the vent chamber?" Riley asked bewildered. This was not good. I knew I had perhaps less time than what this ship did until my body became too hot to function and I would die. I growled in annoyance at my inability to actually help._

" _It's our lifeboat." The Doctor said annoyedly._

" _It's lava." Scannell reminded him. The Doctor was getting desperate now, he picked himself up off the floor and ran to where Erina was checking the gauges measuring the temperature in the other room._

" _The temperature's going mad in there. Up three thousand degrees in ten seconds, and still rising." She said in disbelief. The Doctor looked utterly defeated._

" _Channelling the air. The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's going to get." Riley added. The Doctor ran his hands through his hair as thought frantically._

" _We're stuck here." Martha said with terror in her voice. I stood near her and tried to offer moral support even if she couldn't see me. The Doctor seemed to have come to a decision as suddenly his face became determined. I knew he had suddenly come up with one of his genius death defying plans._

" _So, we fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the sun, and we save Riana. Simple. Engineering down here, is it?" The Doctor said as he turned to face down another corridor._

" _Yes" The Captain added. The Computers voice sounded again, counting down the inevitable end if nothing was done._

" _ **Impact in forty twenty six**_ _."_

 _Martha was near my body again and was feeling my forehead as well as listening to my pulse._

" _Doctor if we don't get Riana to a hospital or a med bay and cool her down I don't think she will last much longer. Her heart rate has increased and she is hotter than before. Of course, none of that will matter if we cash into a sun." She said a bit hysterically. The Doctor looked over Martha. He came over and knelt beside her._

" _How long do you think?" He asked quietly a strange light in his eyes._

" _I don't know. I've never had to deal with a Zell before. If she were human I would guess within the next half hour. Doctor, she doesn't have long." Martha said seriously. I guessed she must be some form of doctor or healer. The Doctor closed his eyes for a minute and breathed out heavily. He opened them after a second with a renewed stubbornness in his eye._

" _I know she doesn't die here, Martha, she lived through this. So, there must be a way to save her and save this ship. If only she was awake, she would know what to do. I promise you, I will get you out of this." He said as he reached forward and scooped up my body from the ground. Martha stood as well. They both turned to the Captain who was watching the scene with a keen eye._

" _Is your friend going to be ok?" She asked._

" _No. Not unless we can cool her down. But unfortunately, the ship is only going to get hotter the closer we get to the sun. Look, I need to fix your engines but I have to stabilise her first otherwise she is going to die." The Doctor said._

" _Your friend's life isn't going to matter when we're all dead." McDonnell said remorselessly. The Doctor suddenly became angry at her callousness._

" _I will only tell you this once, Captain. I will get you to safety, but I am not doing anything until I know for certain that she isn't going to die. My friend's lives come first and her more than anyone. Do you understand that." The Doctor said dangerously._

" _I understand that you will do anything to protect your friends Doctor. That's admirable, but what you need to understand is that_ _ **my**_ _crew come first. So, I must insist that your friend, while her condition is serious, is not going to die straight away. While if nothing is done we will_ _ **all**_ _die." McDonnell said. I couldn't help but admire her loyalty to her crew and in some ways agreed with her. The Doctor had to fix the engines and get the ship away from the sun. Only then would everyone be safe and it would begin to cool._

 _The Doctor narrowed his eyes but nodded. He turned towards Martha to make sure she had heard all that was said. She nodded in understanding. It seemed that the Doctor would attempt to fix the engines and Martha would look after me._

" _Lead on then." Was the Doctor's curt reply. McDonnell began to run down the corridor and a set of stairs, everyone else followed behind with the Doctor and Martha bringing up the rear. I ran or perhaps floated behind.  
_

* * *

 _The sight that greeted us was not a good one. The engine room, if that's what you could call it was a mess. Wires were everywhere. The electrical system was broken and tools lay askew on the floor. Part of the engine was sparking as well, with steam coming off it. I felt my heart plummet._

" _Blimey! Do you always leave things in such a mess?" The Doctor demanded exasperated at the thought of trying to fix this mess and still try and save me._

" _Oh my God" The Captain moaned. I suddenly felt as though this was not what they had been expecting._

" _What the hell happened?!" Scannell shouted. The Doctor stepped closer to look it over but I could sense that he wasn't thrilled by the prospects of his observations._

" _Oh, it's wrecked." Riley said sadly._

" _Pretty efficiently too. Someone knew what they were doing." The Doctor said grimly. He grunted as he switched me to one arm. He walked over to a computer terminal attached to the wreckage and began to fiddle with it. After a minute or two he sighed as he turned back to the others._

" _Can one of you take Riana, please. I need my hands free." He said. Several of the crew members looked at each other hesitantly, obviously remembering his confrontation with McDonnell before. Eventually Erina volunteered much to my surprise as she had been fixing what she could of the engine._

" _I'll, um take her." She said at last. The Doctor meet her eyes steadily as if to measure her sincerity. She didn't flinch from his gaze, so he eventually handed my limp form to her. She grunted slightly at the extra weight before readjusting me to her back. So my body was draped over her shoulders. My head hung flaccidly against her back and my dress swayed with her movements._

" _Damn, she's heavier than she looks. God, she really is burning up too." Erina muttered._

" _You make sure that you stay near me and don't drop her, whatever you do." He instructed. Erina rolled her eyes slightly._

" _I promise I won't." She said. The Doctor turned back to the console as he continued to type into it and scan through the readouts._

 _Most of the other crew had gone about attempting to salvage what they could of the wrecked machinery. Martha and Riley were watching the Doctor as he worked. McDonnell was looking around as if searching for something, or perhaps someone._

" _Where's Korwin? Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?" She asked._

" _No." Scannell replied from where he was working. McDonnell suddenly ran over to an intercom system._

" _You mean someone did this on purpose?" Martha asked dismayed._

" _Korwin, Ashton? Where are you? Korwin, can you answer? Where the hell is he? He should be up here." She said the last bit to herself._

" _Oh, we're in the Torajii system. You're a long way from home, Martha. Half a universe away." He said somewhat distractedly. Martha didn't appear comforted by this information though, if anything she paled slightly. I had never heard of this system so I couldn't react one way or another._

" _Yeah. Feels it." Martha said under her breath. She seemed distracted by something, like she had earlier today with her phone._

" _Martha can you check on Riana again, see if her temperature's gone down." The Doctor said. Martha shook herself out of her stupor and walked over to where Erina was standing with me. She placed her hands on my forehead again and rechecked my pulse._

" _She's still far too hot Doctor, and her pulse is far too erratic for what it should be. Her locket seems to be pulsing as well, whatever that means." Martha said. The Doctor cursed. If I had been able to talk I might have gasped out loud. I had never seen the Doctor curse before, and he didn't strike me as someone who did it often, Martha seemed just as shocked as well._

" _That's… just keep an eye on her Martha. If the locket looks like it's going to open at all, you tell me straight away. Got it." The Doctor said in a hard voice. Martha nodded mutely._

" _Why's that a problem?" Erina asked._

" _Because if it does, we're all dead and no amount of restarting the engines will save us." The Doctor said dispassionately._

" _But what will happen?" Erina pressed._

" _Believe me, you don't want to know. There are far worse things in this universe than dying by a sun. And trust me, the sun would seem like a warm bath compared to what lies in there." He said. Erina gulped but shut her mouth. Martha looked surprised, as though she couldn't quite believe her ears. Wariness enter eyes as she took half a step further away from where I was._

" _Your friend, Doctor, who is she?" Erina asked. The Doctor ignored her though, and turned back to the console. After a minute, he turned away and faced the rest of the crew. A slight frown on his face._

" _You're still using energy scoops for fusion? Hasn't that been outlawed yet?" He asked._

" _We're due to upgrade next docking. Scannell, engine report." McDonnell answered evasively. The rest of the crew looked slightly guilty. Scannell sidestepped the Doctor and went to the same console the Doctor had been using before. Everyone else followed behind him, anxious to hear the report of the damage._

" _No response." He said unhappily._

" _What?" McDonnell exclaimed disbelievingly. Scannell ran over to the wrecked engine to examine several pieces of wire protruding from the engine._

" _They're burnt out. The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back online." He said angrily. The Doctor who had been wearing a set of black rimmed glassed took them off._

" _Oh, come on. Auxiliary engines. Every craft's got auxiliaries." He said in annoyance._

" _We don't have access from here. The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship." McDonnell informed him. The Doctor snorted in irritation. He ran his hands through his hair again, a sure sign that he was stressed._

" _Yeah, with twenty-nine password sealed doors between us and them. You'll never get there in time." Scannell added. I huffed in irritation as well, surely not everything could go wrong today. First the engine was sabotaged, then there were crewmen missing and now the auxiliary engines were at the opposite end of the ship, with twenty-nine impenetrable barriers between them. Not to mention we were on a timer and that we were slowly getting roasted with every minute that passed. To top it all off, I was apparently unconscious from heat exposure and was unable to do anything to help._

" _Can't you override the doors?" Martha stated the obvious sounding put out._

" _No. Sealed closure means what it says. They're all dead-lock sealed." Scannell said. I spun around and growled out my frustration. If I had been able maybe I could have tried to pry them open with my telekinesis. Of course, there was no guarantee that it would work. I HATED BEING USELESS!_

" _So, a sonic screwdriver's no use…" The Doctor said disappointed._

" _Nothing's any use. We've got no engines, no time, and no chance." Scannell concluded dejectedly. If I could've I would have kicked him. If there was one thing I hated, was people who gave up far too easily. I for one refused to just give up, roll over and wait to die. I hoped the Doctor set him straight._

" _Oh, listen to you. Defeated before you've even started. If Riana were awake she'd smack you silly, for taking that kind of attitude. Where's your Dunkirk spirit? Who's got the door passwords?" He said first to Scannell before finally asking McDonnell._

" _They're randomly generated. Reckon I know most of them. Sorry. Riley Vashti." Riley interrupted before either of them could answer. I decided right then and there that I liked this guy._

" _Then what're you waiting for, Riley Vashti? Get on it." The Doctor commanded as he gave the young man an impressed nod._

" _Well, it's a two-person job. One, it takes to answer the questions, and the other to carry this. The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh captain?" Riley said as he went and fetched a huge magnetic clamp with a large backpack attached to it. He was grinning now, as were the others in the room, some hope returning to their faces._

" _Reliable and simple, just like you, eh, Riley?" McDonnell added cheekily._

" _Try and be helpful, get abuse. Nice." Riley said pretending to be hurt. Martha suddenly went over to Riley and took some of the equipment from his hands. The Doctor looked surprised as she did this._

" _I'll help you. Make myself useful." She said. The Doctor frowned, before turning to face her._

" _Martha, I need you here to watch Riana. If something happens to her-" He started to say, but Martha cut off his reprimand._

" _I'll what Doctor? Riana hasn't changed in several minutes and I don't think she is going to. She isn't going anywhere, Erina's watching her and everyone else is trying to fix the ship. I'll only be in the way, you must fix the engines, everyone's relying on you. You also know far more about her biology than I do at the moment. But Riley needs help and I'm the only one who isn't doing anything remotely useful into making sure we don't die." She said exasperatedly. "Besides, what do you think Riana would want you to do if she was awake?" she asked him. The Doctor looked down defeatedly._

" _She would want you to go and help in any way you could. But she would also remind you to not get yourself killed." He replied. Martha nodded satisfied she had made her point._

" _It's remotely controlled by the computer panel. That's why it needs two." Riley added to Martha as both started to head off. But the Doctor stopped Martha once more with a loud 'Oi'._

" _Be careful. Riana will have my head if anything happens to you." He said. Martha laughed slightly._

" _You too. You just focus on saving us, yeah and I know she'll be alright Doctor." Martha replied. They finally left, just a man's voice sounded over the come._

" _McDonnell. It's Ashton." Ashton's voice said. McDonnell ran back over to the intercom to answer him. Everyone's attention was suddenly back on her again._

" _Where are you? Is Korwin with you?" She asked clearly worried._

" _Get up to the med-centre now!" Ashton yelled, with great urgency in his tone. My breath caught, as I realised something terrible was about to happen again, or perhaps was already occurring. McDonnell didn't even need to be told twice as she took off running for the med bay. The Doctor was about to follow when he turned to Erina._

" _You! Give me her, quickly. Help the others." He instructed as he relieved her of my body. Erina looked slightly put-out at his directness, but acquiesced nonetheless. Re-position me more securely against his chest he sprinted after McDonnell, passing Martha and Riley working on the first door. I ran after him, worried about what would happen if I went too far._

 _I only just had time to notice the clock, which red 'Solar Impact: 00:34:31'._

 _The Computer's voice rang out again confirming the time we had left until we died a very horrible fiery death. "_ _ **Impact in thirty-four thirty-one**_ _"._

 **Next Chapter: 42- Countdown to Inferno**

 ***In this case, I use this term as it is too difficult to describe something Riana has never seen. It is also familiar to the reader and easier to picture. Just imagine she referred to something similar.**

 ****The song Riana is singing in this chapter doesn't belong to me. It is one of my favourite songs called 'Light' by Sleeping at Last.**

 **Ahkeet Word Terms**

 **Chulki** \- Lover of romantic attention

 **Almali** -

 **Chuali** \- A sweet red fruit, native to the seven systems. Also, the name of a colour, equivalent to a cherry red.

 **Guat'ii** \- Sort of like a stew. A popular meat dish that is considered a hearty meal on Tiaanamat.

 **Lenkin** \- A six legged bovine, native to the planet Pan Babel of the Seven Systems.

 **Ooali** \- A cousin to the Ooska, more wild and larger native to the planet Tosh'an of the Seven Systems.

 **Ziminka** \- A herb native to the seven systems and primarily used in seasoning dishes. Similar taste to basil.

 **Gobjem** \- Blue fruit drink. Riana's favourite.


	8. 42- Countdown to Inferno

**AN/ Hi guys I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but I have just been so busy with Uni and Moving (again) and work that time has just got away from me. I have re-uploaded this Chapter (and had to rewrite the authors note because I lost it) and made a few changes.**

 **Jd009**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: 42- Countdown to Inferno**

 _The Med bay wasn't particularly large in comparison to some of the rooms I had glimpsed on the ship, mind you I had been quite occupied at the time to really be admiring the scenery. Currently a man, Korwin I had gathered was screaming on a medical table, as two others, a man, Ashton and a dark-skinned woman (I didn't know her name yet), were holding him down._

" _Argh! Stop it!" Korwin was screaming. The woman was straining to hold him down as she attempted to reason with the hysterical man._

" _Korwin, it's Abi. Open your eyes, I need to take a look at you." Abi yelled. The Doctor and McDonnell had reached the room moments ago and McDonnell looked frantic as she rushed to the man's side._

" _Korwin! What's happened? Is he okay?" She asked to Abi, who must clearly be the ships doctor. The Doctor had run in with my unconscious body in his arms and had taken one look at the man and placed me on a nearby medical table. He rushed to the foot of Korwin's bed and whipped out his sonic screwdriver, scanning the man from head to toe._

" _Oh God! Help me! It's burning me!" Korwin screamed._

" _How long's he been like this?" The Doctor said in full medical mode, I stood by his shoulder watching. Abi appeared nearly overwhelmed as she tried to follow what the Doctor said._

" _Ashton just brought him in." Abi explained. McDonnell glanced warily at the Doctor's action._

" _What are you doing?" She demanded panicking. I couldn't help but have immense sympathy for her._

" _Sonic impulse. Don't get to close." He said sharply as McDonnell tried to push her way past Ashton to reach the still convulsing man._

" _Don't be so stupid, that's my husband." She said angrily to the others. But Ashton wasn't having any of it as he retorted angrily that it had been Korwin who had sabotaged the ship. It certainly explained the mess found in the engine room. The question was why did he do it?_

" _What!?" McDonnell said in horror._

" _He went mad. He put the ship onto secure closure, then he set the heat pulse to melt the controls." Ashton explained almost accusingly. McDonnell growled angrily at him._

" _No way. He wouldn't do that." She yelled. The Doctor appeared baffled by this set of circumstances. I myself couldn't quite fathom, a member of this close-knit crew, the Captains husband no less, trying to kill everyone._

" _I saw it happen, Captain." Ashton said with finality in his tone. The Doctor stopped scanning Korwin and tried to talk to him._

" _Korwin? Korwin, open your eyes for me a second." He said. Korwin groaned in pain, but scrunched his eyes tighter._

" _I can't!" He yelled._

" _Yeah, course you can. Go on." He encouraged the man. I had a bad feeling that if he did, we would all be dead. I could feel the pain and anger radiating off him. His psychometric imprint was increasing by the second, seemingly starting to drown everyone else's out, except for the Doctor's of course._

" _Don't make me look at you, please." He begged. Reluctantly the Doctor nodded and reached over onto a tray beside the medical table, grabbing what looked like a hypo-gun. He looked at Abi._

" _All right, all right, all right. Just relax. Sedative?" He asked Abi._

" _Yes." She confirmed. The Doctor than preceded to inject Korwin in the neck as the man finally grew still. Much to everyone else's relief. He placed the hypo-gun back on the tray and leaned against the side of the bed, arms folded._

" _What's wrong with him?" McDonnell asked._

" _Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings… Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature. And, just for fun, run a bioscan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail." He instructed to Abi, who was already rushing around to follow the Doctor's instructions. She must have spotted me as she furrowed her brows in question at the sight of the unconscious blue-haired alien on her medical table._

" _Just doing them now." She said off handily to the Doctor from between her work. The Doctor looked at her impressed._

" _Oh, you're good. Anyone else presenting these symptoms?" He queried._

" _Not so far." Abi said. The Doctor looked intrigued but relieved all the same._

" _Well, that's something." He said. Abi looked at him questioningly. The Doctor didn't elaborate further though._

" _Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?" McDonnell asked determined to finally understand what was wrong with her husband._

" _Some sort of infection. We'll know more after the test results. Now, allons-y, back downstairs. Hey. See about those engines. Go. Hey. Go." He said to both Ashton and McDonnell. McDonnell only looked searchingly at him, but didn't resist as both her and Ashton left to help the others in repairing the engines. The Doctor didn't leave as he turned back to Abi who was still completing her test and setting up the stasis chamber for Korwin._

" _Who are you?" She questioned him._

" _I'm the Doctor." The Doctor said, as if that explained everything there was to know about him. She narrowed her eyes but didn't question him further on it. Instead she stopped what she was doing and turned to face him._

" _I'm guessing that there's more." She said sternly. The Doctor nodded walking over towards my unconscious form. He placed his hand gently against my cheek before looking back over towards Abi._

" _I need your help. My friend, she was exposed to a massive amount of heat and perhaps radiation from the sun where heading towards. She doesn't have long, her race, they don't deal well with heat, so we have to cool her down." The Doctor explained. Abi looked me over thoroughly._

" _Can't you just scan her with that sonic device of yours?" She asked. The Doctor had already taken out the sonic screwdriver and was running it over my body. He frowned at whatever results he had found._

" _Her body temperature has risen two degrees, to 16 degrees Celsius. Her heartbeat it far too erratic and her neural impulses are slowing." He said. The woman's eyebrows raised._

" _That's very low." She murmured._

" _No, her normal body temperature is 14 degrees. But we need to cool her quickly. I don't have much time to spare as I have to go back and help the others. I need you to give her a sedative to slow her heart." He instructed Abi. Abi looked horrified at the thought of doing that._

" _What! If I do that it might kill her. I don't even know anything about her biology. We don't have any frozo gels either to take down the body temperature just the Stasis Chamber." She said. The Doctor narrowed his eyes._

" _I need you to do this. She can handle it. Zell have a remarkable ability for self-regeneration, her metabolism is also exceptionally fast, so she won't be under for long. The hotter she gets, the slower her brain becomes until her heart stops altogether." He almost yelled. Abi reluctantly gathered a knew hypo-gun full of sedative, that she had used on Korwin._

" _Its standard sedative used for humans. I have given her a slightly less dose than Korwin got, as she is smaller than him." She explained to the Doctor as she injected my neck with it. I jumped when I felt a weird ticklish sensation in my neck. My hand flew to the same spot of where I had been injected. But I didn't get drowsy at all. However, I noticed as the Doctor hooked my body to a heart monitor that my erratic heartbeat was slowing._

" _Listen very closely. I need you to put Riana's body in the stasis chamber and set it for -20. She has to stay in there until her breathing stabilises and her body temperature drops back to 14. It shouldn't take more than four or five minutes." He said urgently. Abi looked even more concerned now._

" _But I need the stasis chamber for Korwin-" The Doctor didn't let her finish, getting into her personal space anger evident on his face. I nearly stepped back from him in fright._

" _No. If you don't want everyone on this ship to die then you need to lower her body temperature. The hotter she gets, the more likely chance that her locket will open and then nothing will matter. So do as I say. Korwin is heavily sedated he won't be going anywhere anytime soon." The Doctor demanded. If I had been able, I would have yelled at him for frightening the poor woman._

" _O-ok. I understand, but still that temperature for too long will kill her." She said tentatively. The Doctor shook his head._

" _Her species comes from a planet where the normal temperature ranges around the minus regularly. She'll be fine, it's the optimum temperature for the healing trance. Now I need you to watch her. Tell me immediately if there is any change." The Doctor said. Abi nodded before gently lifting me up and placing my body in the stasis chamber. She reset the temperature and watched as the Doctor glanced at her progress before leaving to help the others._

 _I could vaguely hear the computers voice ringing out in the silence. "_ _ **Heat shield failing. At twenty-five percent. Impact in thirty-two fifty.**_ _" I sat down on one of the free medical tables as I watched Abi close the door of the stasis chamber and press the button to start the freezing process. I should have followed the Doctor, but his extreme reaction towards Abi about my safety was baffling me._

 _I couldn't comprehend why it was so important that the locket didn't open. Sure, I knew he had said that before, and my future self had said the same thing, but he had been implying that opening it was worse than crashing into a sun. The locket certainly had strange powers, but they had never hurt anyone before, only helped me, by showing me things that made sure others didn't die or gave me more information._

 _Looking down at my pale long hands, only proved how strange and incredibly powerful it could be. I was some sort of ghost, watching everything from outside my body, almost as though I was an astral projection. Making me travel through time and space to wherever the Doctor was. Defying the very laws of physics, it seemed._

 _I buried my face in my hands, unsure of what to do. I groaned as I whispered to myself._

" _Why, is this even happening to me? What did I do to get dragged into messes like this? I mean it's only been like… four days since I first met the Doctor and suddenly everything doesn't make any sense." I looked over at Abi as she went back to preparing her bio scans of Korwin. She checked his vitals again, frowning at what she saw._

 _Getting up off the table I went over to where my body was and watched as frost started to form. The truth was, the last few days everything had been so rushed. It left far too little time for contemplation. But as with most things that came into my life, I tried to suck it up and roll with the punches, wherever they might fall. No instead I would try and focus my attention on what little I did know._

 _The future Doctor had given me a hint, something about the Captain, I remembered. No something about the light. Damn it! What did he say._

… Beware of the light. The answer lies with the captain. Everything is not as it seems _…_

 _The answer came to me almost as though I could hear his actual voice. Knowing the abilities of the locket, it wouldn't surprise me if I actually was. I perked up when the Doctor's voice sounded over the intercom in the med centre._

" _Abi, how's Korwin and Riana doing? Any results from the bio-scan?" He asked. Abi was looking at x-rays and bio-scans of Korwin, while she displayed another screen with my body on it. She looked confusedly at both._

" _He's under heavy sedation. I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let you know. As for your 'girlfriend'… well she's been in for about 3 minutes now and her internal temperature has dropped a degree. Her metabolic function seems to have levelled off and her neural activity has increased by 24%" She said somewhat sarcastically. My mouth fell open at her casual assumption that I was the Doctor's girlfriend. The Doctor didn't seem to deny it as he simply continued on talking._

" _Good, let me know when she drops to 14, then take her out and leave her to rest." He instructed._

" _Also, Doctor, there's something strange about her neural activity… it's like it is coming from a strange region of the brain, if I didn't know better I would say it is the hippocampus and the cerebellum, almost like she's dreaming." Abi trailed off thoughtfully._

" _It's normal, she's probably gone into a healing trance now." The Doctor said thoughtfully. I frowned standing still by my body. I shouldn't be dreaming, as I was aware and conscious now, my body was still too weak for it to have entered a healing trance. The Doctor must be still talking over the intercom, as he was now speaking to Martha._

" _Martha? Riley? How're you doing?" He asked them. I listened intently, with interest as I was worried about Martha's safety._

" _Area twenty-nine, at the door to twenty-eight." Martha replied._

" _Yeah, you've got to move faster." The Doctor said. Martha sighed in irritation._

" _We're doing our best." Martha said. I looked at the readout next to the stasis chamber and watched as it read -20 degrees. It showed a scan of my body and my core temperature sitting at 15.2. It was still too high. Movement from the corner of my eye had me turning to face where Korwin's sedated form rested behind Abi. I narrowed my eyes as I walked closer to him._

 _Perhaps I was just imagining it, but I could have sworn I had seen him move. No, I was sure I was imagining it now. He still lay completely still under heavy sedation, otherwise Abi would have noticed it on her readouts._

" _Find the next number in the sequence three one three, three three one, three six seven. What?" Riley's baffled voice said over the intercom._

" _You said the crew knew all the answers." Martha said with fear in her voice. I groaned, wracking my brain for the answer. Mathematics had never been my strongest subject, but my father had forced enough into my head that I understood the mechanics of it and had a well-rounded understanding of how to apply it. But still the answer seemed to elude me as I couldn't for the life of me think on it._

" _The crew's changed since we set the questions." Riley said warily. Martha laughed with almost hysteria as she asked Riley if he was joking. Riley facial expression must have been enough to shut her up though, revealing my worst fears._

" _Three seven nine." The Doctor's frustrated voice said over the intercom. I frowned trying to see how he had gotten the answer. Wait, the number sequence… primes, these numbers were primes, but there was something more added to it. Then I wanted to hit myself for being so oblivious, they were all happy numbers. And like I was again in my father's study as he sat me on his knee, his voice washed over me…_

… _ **Any number that reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits, and you continue iterating until it yields one is a happy number…**_

" _What?" Martha said._

" _It's a sequence of happy primes. Three seven nine." The Doctor reiterated. The Doctor's voice only confirmed my conclusion, it was only his next words that seemed to shock me._

" _Happy what?" Martha asked again._

" _Just enter it." The Doctor growled._

" _Are you sure? We only get one chance." Riley began. But the Doctor cut him off._

" _Any number that reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits and you continue iterating until it yields one is a happy number. Any number that doesn't, isn't. A happy prime is a number that is both happy and prime. Now type it in! I don't know, talk about dumbing down! Don't they teach recreational mathematics anymore?" His voice went into lecture mode, but it was his words, almost identical to how my father had explained it to me as a young girl that caused my breath to catch. Surely it was just a coincidence? Surely the universe couldn't be that cruel that they would make me relieve more memories of him? But I didn't get the chance to think further on it as the conversation had gone on._

" _We're through!" Martha yelled excitedly. I smiled slightly, perhaps we would make it through this day._

" _Keep moving, fast as you can. And, Martha, be careful. There may be something else on board this ship." The Doctor's voice was like a pin in a hot air balloon. He really just had to remind us of the stakes yet again. Make Martha even more nervous. I rolled my eyes and snorted, I would have to add that to the ever-growing list of what I needed to remind the man, what not to do._

" _Any time you want to unnerve me, feel free. Oh and Doctor how's Riana?" Martha asked._

" _Will do, thanks. She's fine, I have Abi, the ships Doctor cooling her down, she'll be right as rain soon enough." He said breezily. I wanted to smack the back of his head, he could be such a contradiction, scarily overprotective one minute and downright cheeky the next._

 _I resigned myself to waiting yet again, while Martha and the Doctor hopefully worked on a solution to save us. This really sucked, I wasn't in this position often, well never actually and I had surprisingly become so used to being by the Doctor's side saving the day, that it was almost like I felt entitled to be the one to have all the good ideas. I mean, if the Doctor only wanted me to be brilliant all the time he wouldn't travel with other people, would he?_

 _That actually reminded me of something I had been meaning to ask him. Why did he travel with companions? From what I had seen of both Martha and Amy, they appeared very brave smart individuals. They had to be able to be fearless at times and not afraid to stand up to the Doctor when it counted, like with Amy and the Star Whale. I couldn't help wondering if I was in the same sort of category as the others, or if it was as he seemed to imply, I was something more…?_

 _I quickly shook that train of thought off and went back to watching Abi examine the readings. Looking at the stasis chamber showed that my body temperature was still high and that I wouldn't be moving any time soon. It was Korwin that I began to worry about, as I had a horrible suspicion that he was more dangerous than anybody had guessed. Speaking of which I turned again to face him, only to realise that he was no longer lying down on the medical table. In fact he was now sitting, with eyes still closed and had eerily turned to face Abi._

 _My eyes widened, as I realised that the Doctor had no idea what was going on and Abi hadn't yet noticed. No, it was only me and I was some sort of apparition unable to speak to anyone or touch anything. I knew if I didn't stop him, he might seriously hurt Abi._

 _I let out a frustrated noise as I ran back to where my body lay, still completely oblivious, to the impending danger._

" _Wake up you stupid, useless bag of bones. Ok that really sounds weird considering I am talking about myself…wait so not the time to be questioning myself. C'mon, please just let me do this, let me be of some help." I pleaded with my own form. When nothing happened, I grabbed the locket around my neck, well the image of it, and yanked hard. Nothing happened, other than for it pulse more and the light to increase coming from it._

 _Wait, the locket, I could feel a very faint connection, almost as though it was like some sort of echo. An ethereal chain connecting me to my body wherever I went. It was how I was yanked out of it so frequently, but seemingly always returned to it. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on that feeling, trying to tune out Korwin now raising from the table and beginning to stand._

 _The computers voice sounded again, reminding me that I was running out of time. "_ _ **Impact in twenty-nine forty-six.**_ _"_

" _C'mon, c'mon!" I urged myself, now beginning to panic as Korwin got closer to where Abi was. Who had just started to notice something was very wrong. She had gone back to the intercom and was talking with the Doctor about Korwin's readings._

" _Doctor, these readings are starting to scare me." Abi said softly. Korwin was standing fully now and was coming over to where Abi had her back turned._

" _What do you mean?" The Doctor said as if focusing on something else. I wanted to yell, I wanted to scream for him to hear me, for Abi to turn around and see the danger approaching from behind._

" _Korwin's body's changing! His whole biological make-up, it... it's impossible." Abi said now terrified. As she said that, a bit of luck seemed to be with me as she had noticed Korwin's reflection in the metal mirror above her. Turning around to face him she began to plead for help._

" _This is med-centre. Urgent assistance requested. Urgent assistance!" She said backing away as Korwin got closer and closer. I yelled as I doubled my efforts, swearing under my breath for my body to respond to my commands. Just for once, couldn't something go my way!_

" _Urgent assistance!" Abi was screaming now. Erina's voice sounded over the intercom trying to reassure her that help was on its way. But I knew in my heart that the Doctor wouldn't get here in time to save her if I did nothing._

" _What's happening to you?" Abi said, trying to reason with Korwin._

" _Abi, just hang on, I'm coming, for the love of Grandfather you useless locket, work!" I shouted, just as I heard something so not obviously Korwin, come out of his mouth. Like a strange possessed entity, he said three chilling words._

" _Burn with me. Burn with me." Just as I thought all was lost, Grandfather must be with me as I felt the familiar tugging sensation and I was pulled back into my body._

 _& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7_

I was weak and I was too hot. Everything felt hazy as though I had been smoking _tazkin_ notorious for giving one hallucinations and major highs. I was in some sort of chamber and it was dark. There was something I had to do. Something important I had to remember.

But my mind was muddled and my body felt like a lead weight as though it had been repeatedly bashed. I thought I could hear faint music in the background, a high-pitched sound that annoyed my sensitive hearing. I unsuccessfully tried to swat the noise away with one of my arms. Only to have it increase and realise that my arms were by my sides unable to move.

Struggling, I tried to lift them and figure out where I was so I could turn the music off and perhaps give my mother a piece of my mind about the fact I had been trying to sleep. So tired, I was so tired. But there was something I had to do…

It was only when I realised that I wasn't lying in my bed and that there was no music, but in fact someone's screams, that I realised that I had missed something. Something was indeed very wrong… Abi.

I was awake then, the memories coming back in a painful rush as I realised that Abi, could be potentially dying right now as I lie here, trying to get my bearings. I groaned as I tried to squeeze myself out of the stasis chamber. It was no use as it was too tight and my body was too week. Instead I remembered the lay out of the control panel and created a telekinetic field around the button that would cause the table to slide back out.

I grunted at the effort, but it worked much to my relief as I heard Abi's screams getting louder. The table slid out and I wasted no time sitting up and surveying the scene before me. My eyes were clouded and blurry, but I could distinctly make out a large shape leaning over another one. I raised my hand and just as a gold light began to fill the room, created a blue barrier between Abi and the larger shape I knew to be Korwin. It took far too much effort as I almost collapsed at the amount of power that was released from the blast.

I held it for as long as I could, as I fell off the table onto the ground, my hand still outstretched. I clenched my teeth together as I fought with every breath in my body and what strength remained to maintain the field.

The gold light was so intense that I had to squint. Abi seemed to be doing the same, but seemed more shocked at the protective blue field that had appeared like a miracle before her. At my panting breaths, she looked over in astonishment towards me.

"S-stay, where you are. The telekinetic barrier should protect you." I struggled to say. Korwin seemed to realise that he was having no effect as he turned his attentions towards me. I knew I was too weak to stop him for long, so prayed he would not try. He didn't appear interested in Abi's presence now as he advanced towards me. I dropped the field around Abi and shakily rose to my feet. Trying to not look him in the eye, but the light was so bright and it was hard not to look into his eyes and see for myself what truly lived in Korwin.

The locket began to pulse and hum like an angry _suhz_ near its hive. It began to rattle and strain on its chain, almost as if it had a mind of its own. Trying to burst free from its confines. The voices that I had heard the first time I touched the locket, burst forth, a thousand different words, in a thousand different tongues. The creature that had become Korwin seemed to pause as he heard it and saw the alien otherworldly red light that surrounded me. I breathed heavily awaiting his next move, realising that I probably wouldn't be able to shield myself again. Its head tilted to the side before it spoke.

"You are not like the others. You burn. Perhaps you will give back what was stolen from us." He said, tilting his head in an almost curious like manner. But before he could walk towards me, Abi shouted at him.

"Korwin! Don't you dare harm her, what-whatever you are leave!" She said bravely. It was a foolish sort of bravery as Korwin turned back to her. I could have screamed at her for being so stupid. I had not forced myself back into my already incredibly weak body, and used what little reserves of energy I had left to shield her, for her only to waste it all and die. He seemed undecided what to do with the both of us as he looked again between me and the vulnerable woman.

"Abi, shut up!" I yelled at her. Still trying to puzzle over the Korwin creature's statement. What had he meant by burning? It obviously had to do with the locket, but to what capacity? It was his other words that seemed to strike me 'perhaps you will give back what was stolen'. They had an eerily familiar echo to the other Doctor's warning. The woman turned to me in surprise that I knew her name. Korwin seemed decided as he turned to walk back towards her. Using whatever strength remained, I hauled my weak ass up and dove towards where she was. Throwing a shield over us and praying to all deities that existed that it was enough.

The light was bright and intensely hot. I yanked Abi's head down so she wouldn't look into its eyes. But while I did so, I caught the reflection of the light from Korwin's eyes and couldn't look away. Strangely enough it didn't hurt as I had expected it too. It was so bright and so warm. I could almost see the beautiful creature that lived at its heart, a being made of light and stars. It reached out towards me and ensnared me in its grasp, the locket pulsed loudly and the red light intensified. I could feel the creature slipping into my mind. But whatever had protected me before seemed to hold it at bay as it could advance no further. The locket rattled and for just one second flew open, an enormous blast of energy engulfed Korwin and knocked him aside. My shield dropped and I could feel myself slipping.

The Doctor's warnings rang in my ears about never opening it. Inside I could feel something so alien and so powerful that it defied all reason. It seemed to want to consume, a never-ending hunger with an infinite reserve of energy that could destroy worlds maybe universes; if such a thing were possible. Whatever Korwin was, it was no match for the intensity of the locket. Abi was screaming in fear as she inched as far she could get from me. I yelled, as with significant effort I raised my hand and forced the locket closed. The light and the power died instantly, leaving only me in its wake, breathing heavily from exertion.

Korwin had closed his eyes again and had put a wielding mask over his face with the blast shield lowered. His breath was heavy and haunting. He turned one last time to both Abi and I and spoke.

"You will join us. You will burn them all. Return what was stolen." He said in the deep alien timber of his voice. With that he left the med-centre without a backwards glance. I breathed out a sigh of immense relief, it was over, we had survived. But I knew that whatever had just taken over Korwin was on the loose and could potentially kill the rest of the crew and I hadn't the strength to go after him. Abi was strangely silent and as I turned to face her I screamed. All that was left of where Abi had been sitting was a black imprint of a human like shape against the wall. I couldn't seem to stop screaming and that was how the Doctor, Captain McDonnell and Scannell found me not two minutes later.

I was hysterical. I had only ever been like this one other time in my life, on one of the worst days of my life. All that seemed to register was that it was not Korwin who had caused Abi to die and dead she was, no more than dust particles. It had to have been me. The locket, whatever it had done had protected me but had burnt Abi to a cinder. I was shaking and gasping for breath, repeating a sentence over and over.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" I said between great gulps of air. I had crawled over to where Abi had been and placed my hand on the wall. Tears ran down my face and dripped down my sweaty cheeks.

"RIANA!" The Doctor's frantic voice yelled as he desperately searched for me.

"Korwin's gone." McDonnell's voice registered. Sudden footsteps sounded beside me as a tall lithe form flung itself next to me and pulled me into his arms. It was the Doctor. I turned to his chest and buried my face in it as I rocked back and forth.

"It's ok, it's ok. Your safe now." The Doctor whispered. He held me until I calmed, but I couldn't wash the image of Abi's screams from my mind or the words of the creature in Korwin.

"Oh, my God…" Scannell's voice trailed off in horror as he caught sight of the charred black shape that had once been Abi. The Doctor had spotted it now too as he too raised his head to stare at the spot.

"…Tell me that's not Lerner." Scannell finished. The Doctor's eyes narrowed. He slowly stood and helped me to my feet. Keeping me safely ensconced in his arms.

"Endothermic vaporisation. I've never seen one this ferocious. Burn with me." He said in a slight whisper. At the last three words, I whimpered as if in pain, as something in my mind moved.

"No. Don't say that. Please." I begged. The Doctor turned back to me again and ran his eyes over my form to make sure I was alright.

"That's what we heard Korwin say." Scannell said horror leaking into his voice. My breath hitched in a strangled sob, as I realised I would have to tell these kind, good people, that I had been responsible for their friend's death.

"What?! D'you think... no way! Scannell, tell him! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporise people! He's human! That girl saw it, she would know." McDonnell pleaded desperately in defence of her husband. The Doctor gently lead me over to where Abi had dropped the results of Korwin's bio-scan on the floor.

"His bioscan results... internal temperature, one hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen! Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed!" The Doctor said in disbelief. McDonnell snatched the results from the Doctor's hands.

"The test results are wrong!" She yelled as she skimmed over the results herself. The Doctor looked solemnly at her, as if waiting for her to realise what he already knew.

"But what is it, though? A parasite? A mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body, but how did it get inside him?" The Doctor began to run through scenarios as if forgetting the other people in the room. His grip loosened slightly and I pushed myself out of his arms and backed away slightly, trying to get my bearings. I wasn't going to be stupid about this. I wasn't some insipid airheaded female, who had never seen death before. I covered my face with one of my hands as McDonnell's hysterical voice shouted at the Doctor.

"Stop talking like he's some kind of experiment!"

"Where's the ship been? Have you made planet-fall recently? Docked with any other vessels? Any kind of external contact at all?" The Doctor began to interrogate her.

"What is this, an interrogation? Why don't you ask the only person who seems to have magically survived instead of accusing an innocent man." McDonnell said as she pointed at me. The Doctor didn't even take any credence in what she just said, causing me to flinch at the truth of her words.

"We've got to stop him before he kills again." The Doctor concluded. It was at this point I couldn't take it anymore even as McDonnell defended herself again, by stating that they were only a cargo ship.

"Doctor, stop!" I begged. This caused all of them to turn their attention to me. My shoulders shook and I hated the pitying look in the Doctor's eyes. He came over to me and took my hands in his, but I pulled them away.

"Riana, what's wrong?" He said softly. I looked over at McDonnell as I spoke, wanting her to know how sorry I was.

"I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't mean for it to happen. I tried to save her, but the locket it opened and I couldn't control it…" I trailed off. McDonnell seemed to sense what I was implying as her eyes grew murderous as she nearly launched herself at me.

"You killed them didn't you! I knew I shouldn't have trusted any of you and your boyfriend over hear implying it was MY husband." She said angrily. The Doctor got in between the both of us as Scannell held the Captain back. The Doctor growled at her.

"Don't you dare accuse her of being responsible, she is just as much a victim as Abi." He yelled before turning to face me, trying to coax the story out of me.

"What happened Riana? Was it Korwin…hmm?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Doctor, I saw it all happen. The locket it pulled me out of my body, I saw everything that happened since we landed here. I was just waiting in the med-centre and Abi was running her tests, when Korwin started to wake up. I managed to get myself to wake up and stopped him from killing Abi. Doctor, there's something in him, the light was so bright. But I was too weak to defend myself. He was coming… he was going to kill me, if Abi hadn't distracted him. I told her not to, but he went to try and kill her again, I managed to protect her, but the locket Doctor…it opened." I whispered. His face became paler and paler as my story continued.

"…he spoke to me, he said that I was like them, that I 'burned' and that I would kill all the others and return what was stolen. It was horrible the red light it protected me but when I closed it and I went to check Abi, she was… she was.." I couldn't finish as I buried my face in my hands. The Doctor came closer and took my hands in his and forced me to meet his deep brown gaze.

"Then what happened?" He asked.

"…She burned. She was gone and there was nothing I could do. Korwin had left and I was too weak to stop him. Oh Akhaten, I'm sorry, so sorry." I begged. The Doctor pulled me into a fierce hug as the others looked dejectedly at the ground.

"Hey. Look at me. This is **not** your fault; do you're hear me Riana? You couldn't control it and it was an accident. There was nothing you could have done to make him stop. So, don't you dare go and start saying that you killed her." He said severely, forcing me to acknowledge his words. I nodded, trying to get a hold of myself. McDonnell seemed to have let her anger drain away as she realised that I hadn't deliberately hurt Abi.

"We're just a cargo ship." McDonnell whispered again. I stepped out of the Doctor's arms and tried to retain a sense of control over the situation, when in fact it was so far from the truth, that it wasn't funny.

"That doesn't mean you can try and accuse Riana of something she didn't do. Don't ever do that again. Riana nearly died, don't you forget that." The Doctor shouted angrily at her. I placed my hand on his arm to try and get him to stop yelling. Accusing each other and pointing fingers wasn't going to change the situation we found ourselves in.

"Doctor, if you give her a minute…" Scannell said sharply as he tried to comfort McDonnell.

"I'm fine. I need to warn the crew. Everybody, listen to me. Something has infected Korwin. We think he was partially responsible for the death of Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?" She said as she glanced towards me. I realised she hadn't told the others my part in her death, for which I was thankful.

"Understood, Captain. Erina? Get back here with that equipment." Ashton's voice said over the intercom. I wiped my eyes and ran my hands over my face to compose myself as the others gathered themselves. I still felt hot and slightly jelly legged. The Doctor noticing my posture offered me an arm, which I gratefully took.

" **Impact in twenty-four fifty-one.** " The computers voice sounded, reminding us that we were wasting precious time.

"Is the infection permanent? Can you cure him?" McDonnell said a slight hope in her voice. I knew that Korwin was too far gone to ever be revived the creature had consumed him.

"I don't know." The Doctor said seriously. McDonnell became irate at the Doctor's evasive answer.

"Don't lie to me, Doctor. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest, so I don't want false hope." She said. I could see the respect in the Doctor's eyes at her honest answer.

"The parasite's too aggressive. Your husband's gone. There's no way back. I'm sorry." He said straight to the point.

"I'm sorry" I added. "I felt the creature, there was nothing left of him when he tried to kill us. Take comfort in the fact that your husband died a good man and that whatever remains, isn't him." I said softly. McDonnell nodded, but the Doctor looked startled at my statement.

"Thank you." She said.

"What do you mean you felt the creature? Did you let it look into you?" He said. Gripping my shoulders tightly. My eyes widened in slight fear at his behaviour, confusion clouding my mind at his behaviour.

"What, I mean, only for a second and it was an accident. But I'm alright, Doctor." I said slowly. The Doctor's intense gaze didn't let up for a second as he scanned my face for any sign that I was lying.

"We don't know how this parasite spreads or what it does. If it got inside of you, it might have infected you." He said seriously. I shook my head, almost certain that it hadn't taken over me, that whatever power lived inside the locket had stopped it.

"I'm sure, Doctor. I think, whatever the locket did, it stopped it." I said. The Doctor breathed out a sigh of relief before turning back to McDonnell.

"Are you certain nothing happened to provoke this? Nobody's working on anything secret? Because it's vital that you tell me." He said staring at her harshly, causing her to flinch, but something inside of me knew she was lying.

"I know every inch of this ship. I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing." She said. My eyes narrowed, reminding me of what the Doctor had warned about the Captain and the light and the creatures own words itself, about something being stolen and wanting it back.

"Then why is this thing so interested in you?" The Doctor said critically.

"I wish I knew." McDonnell said.

"Beware of the light. The answer lies with the captain. Everything is not as it seems. Perhaps you will give back what was stolen from us." I quoted. My eyes glazed slightly caught in the memory. McDonnell turned sharply to stare at me her eyes widened.

"What, what was that?" She said fearfully. The Doctor was staring at me intently.

"Riana?" he questioned. I shook my head to shake the strange trance like state off.

"I'm fine Doctor. I'm just quoting what you told me. In the future, I mean." I answered him. The Doctor's face took on a serious expression as he tried to puzzle the meaning of the words.

"You shouldn't be telling me things like this." He reminded me. I sighed, getting fed up with everyone reminding me of that.

"I know, but you said that I could tell you this. It was supposed to be a hint. What I'm trying to say it that I think that whatever that creature is inside Korwin, it's made of light Doctor and heat. I also think that Captain McDonnell has more of the answers than she knows, I also think it has to do with the sun." I replied promptly. The Doctor turned back to McDonnell who became defensive at my accusation.

"I swear I don't know what she means. We haven't stolen anything. All I know is that thing, has killed my husband and is trying to kill my crew and I want it gone." She said determinedly. The Doctor reluctantly, with little choice let her off. Martha's voice seemed to break the tension as it sounded over the intercom, causing all of us to turn to face it.

"Doctor, we're through to area seventeen." Martha said excitedly. I smiled slightly in relief as I remembered our other problem.

"Keep going." The Doctor urged her.

"Martha, whatever you do, don't look into the light." I said in a rush, trying to make sure that if it was what I suspected it was, that no more people would get infected.

"Doctor, was that Riana?" Is she alright, we heard screaming." Martha said. The Doctor smiled as he gazed as me in an almost tender manner. I shied away from his gaze in discomfort.

"Yes, she's alright." He explained.

"That's great! Tell her that next time she pulls something like that I'm going to kill her. Only after she treats me to Luckie's." Martha laughed. I frowned, forgetting that Martha didn't know I had only just met her.

"Um, I'm right here and Martha I'll try not to die again. However, I'm not quite sure what treating you to something lucky will do to help." I said in confusion. There was silence on the other end and from the Doctor as he turned sharply to me.

"What do you mean? Luckie's you know our favourite café. You take me there all the time, to commemorate when we nearly die." Martha tried to laugh it off.

"Martha, I wanted to tell you this before, but I didn't get the chance, I haven't actually met you before. This is the first time for me. In fact, I have only really known the Doctor for four days." I said. The Doctor's jaw clenched.

"I-I see. Ahem, well after we get out of this, I know exactly where I am taking you." Martha tried to laugh it off. I laughed slightly too, if only to reassure her and the Doctor. The Doctor though appeared distracted as he continued speaking with Martha, apparently ignoring me for the moment.

"You've got to get to area one and reboot those engines." He said. Martha affirmed his statement and went back to work, leaving me with the Doctor, McDonnell and Scannell in the med-centre.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7

It was mostly quiet after that. The Doctor had noticed that I was becoming more fatigued by the minute and bade me to lie down while he ran his sonic screwdriver over me. I knew that I couldn't keep up with the fast pace of everything for long.

"Your body temperature is still too high, Riana. We need to get back to engineering and fix that engine so we can jumpstart them." He said. I grabbed his hand, fear making me angry.

"You're not leaving me here by myself again. I'm fine Doctor, I'm not going to die." I said vehemently. His lips were pursed in incredulity at my obvious lie. But Akhaten damn all, I wasn't going to be left here waiting for some sort of light creature to burn me to death. If there was one place that I trusted that I would be safe, it was at the Doctor's side.

"We don't have time to be babysitting her Doctor." Scannell said with a bite of annoyance. The Doctor finally relented as he helped me to my feet.

"Fine, but you listen to what I say and you don't over exert yourself. If I tell you to go, you go, understand?" he asked. I snorted and raised one of my brows in amusement.

"Doctor, the first thing you need to learn about me, is that I can take care of myself and more importantly, I'm not some brainless ninny who has to follow your every word. Where you go, I go." I said as I met his gaze unflinchingly. The Doctor looked annoyed and I knew we would be having words later, if he got his way and that was a big if. Still he didn't argue and we headed out of the med-bay back towards engineering.

We were half jogging down the corridors back to engineering, I knew the Doctor's eye hadn't left my form as he watched me closely. We were heading past section 30, when Martha's frantic voice came over the intercom.

"Doctor! We're stuck in an escape pod off the area seventeen airlock. One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've got to help us! Tell me you can stop it." Martha all but screamed in panic. I stopped just as suddenly as everyone else did. My heart racing and fear starting to take over again. The Doctor who still wore his dark rimmed glasses stopped and glanced up.

"Why is this happening?" McDonnell said listlessly. Her voice no more than a whisper, yet we all clearly heard it. I growled, this time no more people would die, and I wasn't helplessly floating like an astral projection, unable to do anything to help anyone. The Doctor ripped off his glasses and turned to face the rest of us, his gaze particularly hard on me. But I glared right back daring him to tell me to not help her.

"Stay here. I mean it this time! Jump start those engines!" He yelled as he went to sprint down the corridor. I wasn't sure if he had assumed I would follow the others or was blind to the fact that Vespin would freeze over before I let him leave me behind. Still I was about to follow him when McDonnell words cut me off. Behind us on the wall was another black humanoid shape.

"It's picking us off, one by one." McDonnell said and my heart froze as I realised that whoever that had been was truly dead, like Abi was, except it wasn't by my hand this time. I turned to face Scannell and the Captain and gave them a hard look.

"Listen to what the Doctor says, I'm going to help him." I said even as I took off sprinting, the adrenalin in my system giving me a temporary boost to ignore how battered I was feeling, or the sticky sweat that had started to form on my skin.

I retraced the steps we had just taken and began to go through the doors Martha and Riley had opened. I knew they were near section 17 where they had begun to open it and it the Doctor had a fair head start and with how quickly he could run, it would take me a bit to catch him.

Still, I eventually did as I sprinted through the doors to Section 20 and finally caught a glimpse of the Doctor's blue suit cladded form as he jumped through the doors like some walwallow was at his heels. He must have only just recognised I was following him as his voice was breathless as he spoke.

"I thought I told you to stay behind." He growled out.

"Not a chance, Chulki. You're not leaving me behind that easily to abandon Martha and Riley to certain doom. Where you go, I go, got it." I yelled back. His only response was an irritated grunt. With a last push, we managed to reach section 17 and saw a tall figure in a wielding mask standing before the door to the airlock. The Doctor stopped just before him and I nearly collided with his tall frame.

"That's enough! What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me." The Doctor demanded, but before the we could do anything the man smashed his fist into the keypad, causing an alarming number of sparks to shower into the air.

"No!" I yelled, even as I started forward, the Doctor's hand was firm and unrelenting on my arm.

" **Jettison activated.** " The Computer's voice sounded. Indicating that the escape pod would be launched into space when the heat shields were failing and we were hurtling towards a sun. The Doctor meanwhile had gone toe to toe with the now possessed Ashton, who showed no remorse for what he had done.

"Come on. Let's see you. I want to know what you really are." The Doctor challenged, much to my extreme displeasure, we should be tying him up or knocking him out, rather than wasting time talking to him, when he would surely kill us, and there was nothing I could do about it as my reserves were gone.

Ashton began to raise his hand to his visor and I knew he was going to show us the light. The light that I had already seen and knew was not something that the Doctor could be possessed by. Something that I had only survived last time because of the locket.

"Doctor, don't! It'll possess you if you see it. I can't stop it this time." I screamed at him. The Doctor was being reckless again, he never learned. I tugged on his arm managing to break free and backed away from the standoff. Just as Ashton began to lift his visor, he doubled over as if in pain. The reprieve lasted only for seconds as he was standing and running towards the Doctor before I could even blink. But instead of attacking him, he ran past the Doctor and stopped in front of me. Something in me stirred, as his gaze met mine through the thick visor. I could feel a heat starting to burn in me, and I knew that if I let it, it would tear through me and everyone who was near me.

"You will burn with us. Share the light." He said in his possessed voice as I found myself nodding. But the Doctor's call of my name snapped me out of it.

"No. Whatever you are, you don't control me and I will never be your slave." I denied him. The creature looked once more into my gaze before taking off through the doorway. The Doctor wasted no time in running over to the come unit. I clutched my head as a wave of pressure and heat seemed to retreat into me. The locket pulsed once and I found myself with a nice headache for my troubles. Whatever that was, I fear that by looking into the light, some of it remained within me. But we had no time to be pondering such dilemma's when Martha and Riley's lives hung in the balance.

"McDonnell? Ashton's heading in your direction. He's been infected, just like Korwin!" The Doctor said urgently. I walked over to stand near him.

"Korwin's dead, Doctor." Scannell's emotionless voice said in reply startling both of us. I stepped back around the Doctor and walked over to the small porthole that looked into the airlock, when Martha's frantic, but hopeful face looked at me. She was tapping on the glass and mouthing my name as though hoping I could perform a miracle. But I could do nothing as the computers voice spoke again causing the Doctor to join me.

" **Airlock decompression completed. Jettisoning pod**."

Martha began to shout the Doctor's name along with mine. I hated feeling like this, how could one woman look at me as though I was some sort of saviour or hero, when in this moment more than any other today…I was helpless.

I was so used to having an advantage over others, be it my intellect, my wit or my telekinetic abilities, but now none could help me. I was useless and it made me angry.

"We'll save you!" He shouted at her through the window. He was frantic now and I was angry at myself for letting the Doctor down. I didn't know what he was talking about, but there was nothing we could do. For all his brilliance, the Doctor could still die and sometimes the universe was cruel and unfair. It appeared, that this day would be one of those.

"Doctor! Riana!" Martha screamed back. The Doctor turned to me and I knew in that moment he was expecting a miracle, for all his future incarnation's speech to me. Where he had tried to reassure that he didn't think any less of the 'younger me's', I knew he was hoping for a different woman now. One who could apparently be brilliant all the time and never let anyone down. Someone who could save those people most important to him.

"We'll save you!" He yelled back to Martha. I grew frustrated with myself which caused me to snap back at the Doctor. I yanked his arms down from the window and pulled him to face me. My eyes were blazing with fury, how dare he give her false hope, wasn't it better for him to realise that I was only Zell and that I could not be his 'beloved Azure Queen' all the time.

"Doctor, stop it! We can't save her now." I yelled at him. It was as though I had slapped him. He took a step away from me as though in shock. His eyes grew angry and it took an effort not to flinch.

"Of course we will. What is wrong with you! We don't just abandon our companions." He yelled right back.

"First, she's not **my** companion, she's yours. Second, they will be out of range of the heat shields within minutes and if any of us attempted to go out there and get them we would be cooked alive. Me especially. Third, stop giving her false hope, sometimes terrible things happen Doctor and there is **nothing** we can do about it, even you are susceptible to death and illness and eventually tragedy. It's the way of the universe, accept it and let her death not be in vain." I shouted back at him, my fear and anger getting the best of me. His expression went from anger to something darker as I continued speaking, finally settling into a look of horror at my last words.

". . . What?" His brow furrowed, something _hurt_ flickering in his eyes. "W-why would you say that? Riana . . . **my** Riana would never say that. She would **never** accept any situation as helpless, she would move heaven and all the stars in the universe to save those people who she loves. She wouldn't just give up at the first sign of trouble and she would know a way to save them."

"Who are you?"

He whispered the last bit. I didn't want to admit it, but his words hurt me. I turned away as I tried not to let the tears in my eyes show. My fist clenched as I felt the anger at his unfairness bubble up in me.

I snapped.

" **Your** Riana! It's always some other Riana, braver, smarter, stronger, faster, cleverer. She never gets it wrong, she just snaps her fingers and the universe bows to her whims. Well guess what you _demni'narwal,_ I AM her! And whether you like it or not I'm not perfect!" I screamed back at him. I took a deep breath, trying to gather myself again. Turning back to face him and seeing the disappointment on his face was almost too much for me to take.

"Look, what do want from me?!" I cried, my blue eyes-shining with unshed tears—silently pleading with his.

"I've never even met her before today, and while I don't want her to die, she doesn't mean anything to me, not in the same way as you do. I didn't ask for this, this life…of running and always having to be brave and clever. I make this up as I go along Doctor. I pray that every time I make a decision, I don't screw it up and get people killed." I said in distress.

"Yet you look at me and it seems as though you think the universe has dealt you an unfair blow. I can't save her…not this time." I pleaded with him softly.

"No…" He began. "It's not fair. I never know which woman is going to stand before me, someone who knows everything about me, or someone who is too afraid to try even when she knows nothing is certain. We don't give up…ever. We keep fighting, till there is no fight left and even then, we demand that the universe deliver."

"Martha's not dead. She's right there and the longer we stand here debating that, the more likelihood that I will have to go back to her mother and tell her I failed her, in her moment of greatest need."

"They **rely** on **us!** They **trust** us. I am not going to wait for you to believe in the impossible, so either tell me if you know a way to help her, or shut up, get out of my way and watch as I save her. Because any Riana I know would die before being that selfish." His words were harsh and booked no argument.

They were designed to cut and to pierce straight to my core, so when he spoke them, they left me gasping for breath, questioning my own importance and self-worth to the Doctor. Maybe I had become too sure of the Doctor's faith in me and my inability to fail him, to truly believe he would turn his terrible fury upon one he claimed to cherish.

Was I truly that selfish? Did I deserve the harsh words he had just given me? My father had always taught me to be assertive. To always meet a challenge head on and not back down, to never come in second place. Second place wasn't good enough, being lesser than others was beneath me. If I didn't have a place - make one.

So very few people had ever outright contradicted me. Told me in no uncertain terms that I was wrong. That I was capable of cruelty. But right now, this impossible, mad, terrifyingly ancient man did just that - and I hated it. It made me feel ashamed.

Made me realise that everything my aunt had ever said to my mother about my behaviour was true. That I was childish, vain and arrogant. Self-entitled to being right and incapable of ever being wrong. That I was still angry at the universe for betraying me, for making me have to grow up and lose the childish innocence that had been my fundamental right to own.

I lost the fight then and stepped back from the Doctor, to give him space. He was right, I was being a hindrance and it was only because I was really angry and afraid at myself, that I was being callous with my choice of words towards Martha. I lowered my eyes to the floor as the Doctor brushed past me and ran back over to the intercom.

The Computers voice sounded again, counting down what time we had left, until we all burned to an inferno. " **Impact in seventeen oh five**." I glanced out the window, where the pod could still just be seen, floating into the inky blackness of the vacuum that was space.

I knew that I would have to apologise for what I had said. I needed the Doctor's faith in me restored. I couldn't bear to see the look of fear and regret upon his face every time he looked at me.

"Scannell! I need a spacesuit in area seventeen now!" The Doctor shouted.

"What for?" Scannell asked in confusion. I glanced up sharply and couldn't stop the gasp of shock at the Doctor's request. He wasn't surely going to attempt to go out there beyond the heat shields and attempt to rescue them, that would be suicide!

"Doctor?" I choked out, but his gaze was challenging as it met mine.

As if to say ' _Look what I can do, look how far I am going to defy the odds to save her. Look at what you won't do.'_

"Just get down here!" The Doctor ordered. He ran back to the window as he kept a continuous gaze on the pod. I swallowed nervously. The words were there in my throat and I knew I had to speak them. They were like a burning urge that couldn't be ignored and I knew I wouldn't forgive myself until I told him.

"I-I…" I trailed off uncertainly. The Doctor was now busy calibrating something with his sonic screwdriver and turned sharply at my hesitant sentence. One brow raised in question.

"What is it Riana? I know you have something to say, so just say already." He said with impatience. I nervously rubbed my hands together and looked him in the face, my blue eyes pleading with his brown ones.

"Doctor… please, tell me you're not-" But again my voice failed me.

"Not what? Going out there, well I am and I am going to prove to you that she can be saved." He said stubbornly.

"You'll die!" I said. "You'll be burnt alive and I'll be left all alone…. Just like I always am and I'm sorry for saying what I did before. I didn't mean it, I don't want Martha to die, she's brave and funny and obviously has a big heart…and I, and I." I was nearly choking on tears now, the words disjointed and flowing out of me like a broken water pipe. The Doctor's face become softer and I felt a firm hand on my face as he cupped it tenderly. His brown eyes were fathomless depths, of hundreds of years of emotion and memories and in them I saw myself reflected.

He understood and I knew I was forgiven.

"My Riana, my brave fearful Riana." His words were confusing and made no sense. Hadn't he just been angry at me for not trying hard enough? Now he was calling me 'his' Riana, when I had been neither brave or clever and I was begging him not to go out in a space suit to try and rescue Martha. Noticing my muddled expression, he smiled.

"I don't always expect you to know everything, or be right all the time, that would be frankly ridiculous. Everyone stumbles and falls, it's making sure not to let that fall get the best of us, that counts. I know your scared, but use that fear to make you stronger and don't let your anger at the wrong things make you cruel." He said. I nodded.

Stepping away from him as Scannell ran into the room with an orange space suit and helmet. He appeared out of breath as he handed the space suit to the Doctor. His eyes widened slightly at what I knew, appeared to have been an intimate moment between the Doctor and myself.

The Doctor began putting the suit on and strapping it into space, Scannell and I could only watch helplessly from the sidelines. I decided that I'd had enough of being unhelpful for today, so I made myself useful and assisted the Doctor where I could. Placing his helmet on his head he turned to look at me.

"I can't talk you out of this can I?" I said. He shook his head. I had thought not.

"I can't let you do this." Scannell began, but the Doctor's response was just as adamant towards him, as he had been to me.

"You're wasting your breath, Scannell. You're not going to stop me." He stated.

"If I can't talk you out of it, then you have to promise that you'll be careful." I asked of him. He nodded but smirked slightly. I frowned in confusion at his abrupt change in demeanour.

"You want to open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun. No one can survive that." Scannell said I dismay. "You open that airlock, it's suicide. This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."

"Oh, just you watch, and Riana, if you met a future version of me, then it means that I survive this." He said. But I knew that wasn't always how time worked, the Doctor had said so himself, time could be rewritten.

"Time can be rewritten. You told me that." I said. His mouth narrowed, but his eyes didn't lose their challenging slightly mad glint.

"If I can boost the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetise the pod. Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines." He instructed us. But while Scannell could run all the way back to the other end of the ship, I was too tired to.

I refused to leave the Doctor.

"Doctor, will you listen! They're too far away. It's too late." Scannell shouted at him. But this time, if the Doctor said it was possible, I wasn't going to doubt him, as much as I didn't think it possible.

But then he had told me, that the Riana he knew accomplished the impossible daily. A living legend of worlds. Maybe it was time I started believing it too, my whole life had become a story of impossibilities.

"No. It's not. Scannell get those doors open. I can't leave the Doctor and I don't know how the system works. If the Doctor says he can do it, then I believe him and I have seen him overcome the impossible before." I said firmly. The Doctor's eyes showed his thanks at my support.

"I'm not going to lose her." He said softly and moved towards the airlock. With one last glance back at me he sealed it.

"If something goes wrong, know that you are brave and that I have faith in you Riana Tahlay." He said through the intercom. I nodded standing motionlessly as the airlock depressurised and he began to walk towards the blazing sun visible.

" **Impact in twelve fifty-five**." The Computers voice reminded us and all I could do was wait.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7

The waiting was the most excruciating part. My hands were pressed so hard against the glass, I was surprised there wasn't cracks in its surface. Scannell had given me a sympathetic look before running back towards the front of the ship to hopefully get to the auxiliary engines before time ran out.

" **Impact in eleven fifteen. Heat shield failing. At ten percent.** " I was really beginning to hate the sound of the emotionless female voice, that counted off the minutes and seconds we had left until we died. I could barely see the Doctor's form as he attempted to cling to the outside of the ship and grab something out of his reach. Realising that I could do nothing, I slumped against a wall and slid down until my backside hit the metal floor.

The heat had increased again and more sweat was dripping down my body. I could feel the stars starting to cloud my vision again and my heart's erratic beating in my chest. All signs that I was heading towards severe heat stroke if we were out here too much longer.

Not that it would matter if we burned to death.

I don't know what I had been thinking before, all those awful things I had said to the Doctor. Maybe Abi, Erina, Ashton and Korwin's deaths had made me doubt whether it was possible to succeed today. Even with all the impossible situations I had faced with the Doctor, this had been the most difficult. Still my head dropped into my knees as I waited anxiously for something to happen.

"Doctor, how're you doing?" Scannell's voice came over the intercom, pulling me from my worry.

"I can't, I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last." The Doctor's strained voice said. Suddenly I was jumping to my feet and running over to the intercom.

"Come on. Don't give up now, Doctor, you have to prove that you were right!" I shouted encouragement at him. There was a loud yell as presumably the Doctor gave one mighty stretch and managed to pull the lever to remagnetise the pod.

I held my breath as I waited in earnest for him to fail or succeed. Slowly I watched, as the dim speck of the pod began to grow bigger. I yelled out in triumphant and giddiness, not quite believing he had managed to overcome the odds again. That impossible, impossible man. The Doctor slowly pulled himself back into the airlock chamber and smiled at me in happiness. I was jumping up and down shouting 'yes!'.

But just before he entered the chamber he turned back around to gaze at the sun. No! Inside me I knew that he had looked into the light, as the creature that was trapped in my mind began to respond to the reflection of the light I could see shining off the Doctor's helmet. It began to burn and press against the confines of my head, causing me to clutch it in pain, even as I stumbled back from the airlock and cry out in pain.

 _Burn with me._ It whispered. _Burn with me and consume them all._

The locket gave one great jolt and I almost fell over as the voice was pushed back into my subconscious mind. Scannell's voice over the intercom knocked sense back into me as I realised the Doctor had not existed the air lock chamber.

"…It's alive. It's alive. It's alive!" The Doctor's voice whispered from the glowing locket.

"Doctor, close the airlock now! That pod's going to smash into him." He said desperately. I ran over to where the air lock had finished recompression and looked on as the Doctor fell to his knees, his eyes tightly closed and his face screwed up in pain as he pulled the helmet off. I opened the door and sprinted over to where he had stopped, just as the pod docked and Martha and Riley clambered out.

I attempted to cradled his body to my own, much as he had done with mine early today, but he pulled away from me. Martha's face was frantic as she ran over to us, worry clearly evident in her eyes.

"Doctor! Doctor! Are you okay?" Martha yelled. I pushed my hand to her chest to stop her reaching towards the Doctor. Whom had now pulled himself against one of the walls and opened his eyes briefly, a brilliant golden light shone out of them.

"No, you looked into the light." I whispered.

"Stay away from me!" The Doctor shouted to the both of us. Just then Captain McDonnell ran into the corridor, making sure Riley was alright before turning to the Doctor.

"What light? You said that before, told me not to look." Martha said turning to me for answers. But at this moment I was preoccupied with the Doctor who had clenched his eyes shut tightly.

"What's happened?" McDonnell asked, but the Doctor spat his next words at her in anger and disgust.

"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!"

"Riley, get down to area ten and help Scannell with the doors. Go!" McDonnell instructed Riley. He left with one last uncertain glance back towards us.

"Burn with me. Give back what was stolen." I whispered to myself as the creature in my head whispered in my ear.

 _Burn her up, consume her soul. Take back what was ours. You must Red One._

I closed my eyes as I tried to not let it out, it was still tightly locked away thanks to the locket, but it was slipping and becoming louder. That strange connection I had with the Doctor must be amplifying it.

"What!" Martha said aghast at my statement and when she saw me closing my eyes her breathing increased.

"Doctor, what are you talking about? Riana, what's wrong with him?" She said in alarm. I opened my eyes and I knew when Martha looked at me, she could see a hint of gold white glow. She stepped back from me in panic.

"That sun is alive. A living organism. The light you see is it reaching out." I replied, even as McDonnell caught sight of my eyes.

"They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel, and now it's screaming!" The Doctor yelled. I came closer to him then, feeling the power and heat coming off him responding to my proximity.

"What do you mean? How can a sun be alive? Why is he saying that?" She said turning to me. I met her eyes and let her see the living light of the sun shining barely contained behind them. She reared back as if struck and before the Doctor could answer, I did for the both of us.

"Because it's living in us." I whispered. The Doctor grasped my arm and I could feel his breathing increase.

"NO… Please tell me it's not in you. Please!" He said desperately.

"Oh, my God." McDonnell exclaimed. Now I knew what the hint had meant, the light was the sun reaching out, trying to protect itself, yet I had looked and I wasn't being overwhelmed like everyone else.

"It's alright Doctor, I looked at Korwin ages ago and it hasn't really affected me until now. I don't think it affects me the same way it does everyone else." I said to try and reassure him.

"It speaks to me in my mind, but whatever power the locket has, contains it, so it can't spread farther. It's when I'm near you that it becomes more powerful." I continued.

If anything, I think my statement only made the Doctor worse for he gritted his teeth and his grip increased on my arm, to almost the point of pain.

"No, no, you shouldn't have looked… Riana, you can't let it break loose. I'm not sure how to get it out of you…your physiology it's too different." He panted.

"I'm not letting it Doctor." I reassured him. He suddenly turned back towards McDonnell and yelled at her in anger as his body was wracked with increasing pain. I had to clutch my head and close my eyes, as the Doctor's light increased, the light in me began to scream and wail.

"Humans! You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry! You should have scanned!"

"It takes too long. We'd be caught. Fusion scoops are illegal." McDonnell cried out. I turned on her as I regained my bearing.

"It's not in your head screaming and you swore you hadn't done anything to warrant this. We asked you and you lied to us, now it might use him to try and kill you all." I said sharply.

"You've got to freeze me, quickly." The Doctor said to Martha and me.

"What?" Martha said. I too was surprised by his request, yet I was sure that unlike Martha, I was quite aware that the Doctor wasn't human and could survive against tremendous and unprecedented odds.

"Stasis chamber. You've got to take it below minus two hundred. Freeze it out of me! It'll use me to kill you if you don't. The closer we get to the sun, the stronger it gets! Med-centre, quickly! Quickly!" He instructed us all the while screaming in pain, nearly overcome. Martha looked over to McDonnell in disgust as the Doctor explained. I went to help Martha with the Doctor, but McDonnell made no move to help us as she glanced warily at me.

"What about her? Won't she try and kill us too?" She asked. I growled in annoyance we were wasting precious time.

"We don't we have time for this. I'm not human, whatever it is about me that's different is ensuring that the sun can't overwhelm me. But the stronger the light in the Doctor gets, the stronger it will get in me." I knew my explanation was convoluted and didn't really reassure anyone, heck it didn't even make sense to me, but it was the best I had and we really didn't have time to debate this. All I knew was that I would fight this for as long as I could and I had to trust that whatever strange abilities the locket had, it would protect me long enough to save the Doctor.

"Help us!" Martha yelled towards McDonnell, she reluctantly did.

" **Impact in seven thirty.** " The Computer said. I cursed. With that I traded places, with McDonnell helping to carry the Doctor instead. As I realised I was still too weak to carry anyone now.

"By the Light of the Old God let us not die." I prayed.

We rushed down the many corridors to get to the med-centre as quickly as we could. The Doctor was little help as he was more like a dead weight. Crying out in pain and agony with every step we took.

Realising, someone had to run ahead to set the equipment up for when we got the Doctor there, I volunteered and took off at the fastest pace I could. My memory was still hazy of exactly where the med bay was again, but it wasn't long until I recognised some of the familiar surroundings.

Racing in I nearly let out a scream when I caught sight of Ashton's dead body, stuck in the stasis chamber. Truly, I don't think I had ever seen so many dead bodies in one day. His head was thankfully covered by the helmet and most of his body looked normal, fighting the urge to gag, I quickly pulled his body put off the table. I tried to be a respectful as I could and laid it out of the way to the side of the room.

It didn't take much of a leap to realise that it must have been McDonnell that killed him, considering Scannell had been with the Doctor and I for some time and Riley and Martha had been trapped in the escape pod. The thought left a foul taste in my mouth.

I began prepping the machine from what I could remember seeing Abi do. Still I found a manual and made sure to read it over. It surprised me when the writing was in Akheet and I wondered how humans could read the language, still I wasn't going to look a gift _malgakii_ in the rear.

The Doctor was brought swiftly into the room, carried between Martha and McDonnell. They laid him out on the table as I began pressing buttons setting the temperature as he had instructed before. Martha was looking for the manual but I told her that I had already prepared it.

"Martha, Riana, where are you?" The Doctor asked between painful breaths. We both ran over towards him, to reassure that we hadn't left his presence.

"It's all right, we're both here. Stasis chamber, minus two hundred, yeah?" She recited back.

"No, you don't know how this equipment works. You'll kill him. Nobody can survive those temperatures." McDonnell said. I turned to glare at her, somewhat sick of humans today, well foolish ones.

"He's not human. If he says he can survive, then he can. Trust me he is completely impossible." I said shortly, my already frayed temper a thread away from snapping.

"Let me help you, then!" McDonnell demanded. Martha turned towards her with anger and I could swear hate in her eye.

"You've done enough damage." She spat.

"Ten seconds. That's all I'll be able to take. No more. Riana!" The Doctor called out my name desperately. I saw Martha's face fall slightly, but I put it to the back of my mind for the moment. The Doctor needed me. Whatever our future relationship might be.

"Doctor, I'm here." I said gently to him, holding his hand tightly. He gripped it as though it was a life line and I could feel the intensity of the light echoed in my head. It was burning him and I could taste his fear.

"It's burning me up. I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it, I could kill you. I could kill you all. I'm scared! I'm so scared!" He said. I had never seen the Doctor this vulnerable, always appearing beyond such normal mortal emotions.

"Just stay calm. You always give so much to save everyone else, never asking to be thanked or recognised. You have always believed in me even when I doubted myself, now let me take care of you. You will be ok." I said.

"It's bloody killing me! Then what'll happen?!" He screamed at me.

"That's enough! I've got you." I said firmly. I nodded to Martha who went over the lever and got ready to pull on my signal.

"There's this process, this thing that happens if I'm about to die." He said to the both of us. But I knew already what he meant, Regeneration. A Time Lord's way of changing to cheat death. I knew what the future Doctor would look like, but I had no idea how far along he was in comparison to this Doctor. He had said that it was recent for him, but I knew that I had met an even further version of this him. So, I knew he would be alright.

"Regeneration, I know. Martha." I said as a way of signalling her to start the process. "Shush. Quiet now. Because that is not going to happen. Are you ready?" I asked him, but we both knew it was more rhetorical than anything.

"No." He whimpered in pain. "Riana, whatever happens don't leave me…please…I-Io-" He said. But even dying, there was no way I was going to let him finish that sentence. I wasn't sure what my reaction would be if it was what I thought it was. But he had no time to say it anyway, because Martha had pulled the lever and forced him into the stasis chamber.

She pressed the button to start the freezing process. There was nothing I could do but stand back and watch as the Doctor screamed himself hoarse. I felt a sob wanting to rise in my throat, but I clenched my teeth tightly together and set my jaw stubbornly. The Doctor would survive and he wouldn't be consumed by the Sun's light, I know, I had seen it.

 _You can try to freeze us out, Red One, but you cannot kill the light._ The creature whispered in my head. My stomach plummeted with those chilling words.

" **Heat shields failing. At five percent.** " The Computer notified. I gasped.

"Something's wrong, the sun it's trying to stop us." I said urgently. The readout read -70 degrees and falling. Both women turned to face me, faces grim.

"What!" Martha said. But the power failure of the stasis chamber proved my words right.

"No! You can't stop it. Not yet." The Doctor yelled out, I could see that he was covered with frost.

"What happened?" Martha called.

"Power's been cut in Engineering." McDonnell informed us.

"But who's down there?" Martha asked. I met McDonnell's eyes and I knew in that moment it was Korwin. Her face was set, but her eyes were determined.

"Go!" I said to her.

"Leave it to me." She replied. "Riana…" She started to say.

"Yes." I said. Her eyes were hard.

"You make sure that you save my ship and if the sun in your head starts to take over…" She trailed off leaving the obvious unspoken. I nodded, letting her know that I would do what was necessary if it came to that. With that she ran out of the med bay.

" **Impact in four forty-seven.** " I glanced at Martha and she looked bewildered at our exchange.

"Riana, what did she mean?" Martha asked. I busied myself checking on the Doctor's status. He was starting to defrost already, thanks to the increasing heat.

"She means, that it's Korwin. He isn't dead like she thought he was. As to the other thing, if the sun in my head overcomes me, then I will do whatever I must, to ensure that no more people die." I replied. She looked horrified.

"You don't mean…kill yourself?" She said hesitantly. I nodded giving her a piercing look. She looked away and I was surprised to see a tear run down her face.

"I always knew travelling with the Doctor could be dangerous, but the thought that both of you might die…" She said softly. I came over to her and touched her shoulder gently.

"We'll both be fine, Martha. But I'm glad to have met you, for what it's worth." I said genuinely. She smiled at that. Then she stuck her hand out to me. I quirked my eyebrow in wry amusement and my lip lifted as I looked at her in question.

"If this is the first time we've ever met, I think I would like to do it properly. Well as properly as about to crash into a sun is going to get. I'm Martha Jones and it's nice to meet you." She said. While I thought it a strange time to be doing this, we might not ever get another chance. So, I shook her hand.

"Martha Jones, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Riana Tahlay even if this is the strangest greeting I've ever seen." I said laughing slightly. The moment ended when the Doctor let out a whimper. Reminding us of where we actually were.

"Come on. You're defrosting." Martha observed as we waited anxiously for the power to return.

"Martha, Riana, listen! I've only got a moment. You've got to go!" The Doctor called to us.

"No way." Martha replied.

"Forget it, we're not leaving you." I added. We had gone over to peer through the glass at the Doctor.

"Get to the front. Vent the engines. Sun particles in the fuel, get rid of them." He said haltingly between screams.

"We are not leaving you." Martha shouted. But I knew that this was what it came down to. What needed to be done all along. The light had to be returned if we were to live at all.

"You've got to give back what they took!" He yelled. But Martha was stubborn and wouldn't just walk away from the Doctor, while he was in agony. I could feel the creature in my head getting stronger, reacting to the Doctor's. The light was so close, they were nearly home.

 _Nearly home. Time to burn with me, Red One. Soon your fire will be added to our own._ The sun whispered again. I clutched my head again, as I could feel the heat behind my eyes.

"Doctor!" Martha cried again. I turned to Martha, realising she was the only one who could get there in time and not have the risk of being overwhelmed. Martha's eyes widened in fear when she saw the light shining in my eyes.

"No, not you too." She said panicked.

"Martha, you have to go. I can't leave the Doctor, I promised and I can't run all the way there in time. Please." I begged of her.

"You said that you wouldn't let it overwhelm you!" She accused of me. I looked at her sorrowfully.

" **Impact in four oh eight**." The Computer chimed.

"Martha, we don't have time. My connection to the Doctor is too strong, the closer we get the worse it will be." I reminded her. Her eyes narrowed in anger and determination.

"I'll be back for both of you. You owe me a drink at Luckie's." She said to me. I smiled waveringly at her.

"I'll remember that." I agreed. With that Martha didn't glance behind as she sprinted for the front of the ship. Our lives were in her hands now. Now that the adrenalin had started to wear off, I could feel how truly weak I was. The locket was pulsing in time with my erratic heart beat and the strange echo sensation between the Doctor and me had tripled in the last minute alone. I clutched my head as the agony and the pressure increased. I could feel the joy of the light inside my head at the chance to be free and to consume others.

Whatever it was reacted differently with me. The locket had contained it, but it had almost absorbed it to some degree and I wasn't sure if it would ever come out.

 _Burn with me. Burn with me!_ It chanted. I stumbled over something on the floor as I pulled myself against the other medical table, that my body had laid on earlier. It was funny, this was where everything had started and I had to wonder if this is where it would all end. I heard something clunk to the floor and looked up to see the Doctor had pulled himself out of the chamber. He lay on the ground his eyes tightly shut.

" **Impact in two seventeen. Primary engines critical**." The Computer said. I laughed hysterically.

"So, this is how I die? Being burned alive from the inside while I crash into a living sun. Not to mention sit on my backside helpless, as a voice counts down the time I have left. My life in someone else's hands." I said to no one in particular. The Doctor was too far gone to hear me, I thought.

"But that's just stupid, you said I would live to see the universe! I bet papa would be laughing at me now. Are you proud of me papa? I got to travel the stars only to die four days later…" I said, by now I was way past the point of crying. I was terrified, yet strangely calm in the face of my death. I knew that my eyes were glowing with the light of the sun and it was at the border of my subconscious mind, about to enter into my conscious one.

" **Repeat. Primary engines critical. Survival estimate projection zero percent**." The Computer said again. I looked up when I heard movement again. The Doctor had somehow managed to pull himself over to the intercom. He still had his eyes closed, but he was no longer in as much pain and I knew that it was not a good sign. I pulled myself up, to try and reach him.

"Martha!" The Doctor said. I reached him just as Martha answered.

"Doctor! Riana, what is he doing?" Martha said. When I touched the Doctor, the force doubled and I gasped out loud as pain overwhelmed my body. The sun broke through into my conscious mind and the locket began to rattle. I knew I had perhaps seconds before it would be too late.

"I can't fight it. Give it back or burn with me." He said, his voice becoming alien and deep.

"Martha, hurry, please. I can't…" I said nearly falling over from the intensity.

"Riana!" Martha screamed. But I couldn't hold it, the light inside of me and the Doctor opened his eyes.

…

"Burn with me, Martha." We both chanted. My voice was deep and I was barely hanging onto my sanity. The Doctor only making it worse.

…

We were crawling now, out of the med bay and into the hallway. The light of the sun so powerful.

" **Impact in one twenty-one**."

…

" **Impact in one oh six**."

…

 _Soon, Red One, your fire will be ours and we will consume the stars._

The light is so bright and I am standing alone in a completely white space. I am facing some sort of golden light. Its voice speaks to me and then it appears to change form until it resembles a version of myself. Red dress, blue hair, shining white eyes. Its face should be mine, but the expression it wears twist the features until it is completely alien.

"Who are you?" I ask it.

 _I am light. I am fire. I am destruction and rebirth._

"But you look like me." I pointed out. It smiled as much as it was able to.

 _I control your body, the red fire you wield seeks to trap me, to subdue me and consume my fire for its own. But it fights to sustain your life._

"No. The sun! I remember. Martha is going to give the light back. You can't do this! We didn't take your light, we only want to give it back." I pleaded with it. I was unsure if it was capable of understanding what I meant, but it seemed to ponder my words.

 _The light is being returned. But we must have your fire. Yours and the other one, who tastes of Time._

I gasped as I realised it meant the Doctor. I couldn't let it keep him. The sun would consume him and kill him dead. I had lost too many people today. I grew angry as I walked up to it nearly face to face, gold eyes meeting blue.

"You can't have him. Martha gave back the fuel that was taken. Now you have to let us go. You're killing him and I won't let you." I declared. It tilted its head to the side.

 _How is that you propose to stop us? Did you not try and take our light and nearly darken us? Why should we let you go?_

"We didn't try and take your light! The Doctor and I, we aren't like the others and Martha she gave your light back to you. We were trying to save you! If you take the Doctor you will extinguish his fire, his body can't handle it. Then you will never have his fire." I said.

 _We want his fire because we wish to spread our light._

Its voice was emotionless as it said this. I grew frustrated as it was like talking to a wall. Nearly impossible.

"Fine, I get that. You want to expand, as every living being does. But let him go and… and you can have my fire. I promise I won't stop you. Whatever the Doctor may be, he doesn't have what I do; the locket. I felt it, the power inside and it would be more than enough to satisfy you." I said in one last desperate attempt to save his life. I waited nearly what felt like an eternity as the sun considered.

 _We have released him. You will keep you word. In you we see great fire, we will join our light with your fire and spread across the stars._

"Agreed. Thank you." I said relieved. I watched as the being grew brighter and brighter, until it was nearly impossible to look at. It grew and grew until it surrounded me in its heat. I cried out in pain as I felt as though every cell in my body was being ripped apart. The light entered my heart and the locket pulsed until it snapped open. The golden white light of the sun entered it and grew as I felt as though I was being reformed from the inside out.

It lasted for what seemed like forever, but must have been much shorter. Before I knew it, it ended and I fell over, gasping and crying as the pain receded. I could feel the rippling of the white surroundings as a projection formed from the locket. It had gold white heat surrounding it and formed to look like me. It was the sun.

"I thought you said you would consume me." I said.

 _We never wanted to consume you, but join with you. Your fire is now ours. You shine with our light and we will grow stronger through you. Your light has changed us Red One, from the moment we touched it. Now we want to expand through time and space to spread our light and you will be our vessel to do so._

I didn't understand. Why hadn't I died. I had felt the sun enter me, but now that I concentrated, I could feel the change in myself. The heat that seemed to simmer beneath the surface of every cell in my body. The sun had joined with my very being and somehow the locket had directed it in a way that didn't harm me.

"You mean, you want to join with me. You want to travel where I go. But won't you die away from the sun?" I asked. It laughed, an expression that freaked me out.

 _We are sustained by you. Our light is now yours to use. Farewell Red One, until we speak again._

With that the strangely warped version of myself disappeared and I was left alone in the white expanse.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7

I awoke with a gasp and groaned in pain as I felt myself lying on the hard metal floor. The Doctor was next to me and he too appeared to be in a lot of pain. But his eyes no longer glowed. I could feel the change in my body now. The weight of the choice that I had made to save the Doctor's life, making itself known.

The ship lurched around us and we were rolled to either side of the corridor as I waited for it to end. I crawled as close I could get to the Doctor and pulled him into my arms. Eventually the shaking stopped and I let out a relieved sigh. Whatever the light creature had been in my head it had retreated and I could not detect it like I had before. For now, I was grateful.

" **Impact averted. Impact averted. Impact averted**." The Computers voice repeated and I had never been happier to hear it. I let out a cry of relief as the weight of today left my body and I curled myself around the Doctor's skinny frame. I stroked his hair as I shook.

"Chulki, we did it. Well Martha did. The light, it's almost completely gone. But we're alive." I whispered into his hair. The Doctor groaned as he started to come to and croaked out my name.

"Riana?" He asked.

"I'm here, I'm here. I promised I wouldn't leave you and I didn't, see." I said somewhat cheekily. His smile was wane, but I was pleased to see it nonetheless. With some effort, we managed to lurch to our feet and begin the slow walk down the corridor, to the front of the ship.

"Riana, what happened? I felt the sun, it had taken me over, but it wouldn't release me. But then it withdrew." He said. I gulped guiltily, but decided not to tell the Doctor what I had done to save him.

"Does it matter, Doctor? We're alive and it left us. Martha dumped the fuel as you instructed and we're ok." I replied. He turned to look at me intently, but I met his eyes head on and prayed to Akhaten he wouldn't see my lie. He was distracted by the hurried footsteps of Martha as she grinned at the both of us. Without any warning, she threw herself at the both of us and embraced us in a giant hug. The Doctor laughed madly and picked us both up, one in each arm as he swung us around. I couldn't help but be caught up in the elation of the moment and pure joy at being alive.

Eventually we released each other, as we began to make our way to the others. The Doctor was questioning Martha as to what had happened in our absence. Martha explained how the auxiliary engines hadn't worked and it wasn't until they dumped the fuel, that the sun had released them.

Seeing Scannell and Riley both alive was a moment of triumph in my book, as so many people had died to today. I later learnt that McDonnell had given her life to save us from Korwin. Perhaps today had humbled me, but I just couldn't hold on to my anger and disgust towards the woman's actions, when she had given her life to make amends. In fact, my initial actions ashamed me, as I out of anyone in this room, should have not been so quick to judge.

I was still very weak and when the Doctor noticed that he bade us to head back towards the TARDIS. Scannell informed us that there was just enough fuel for us to escape the gravity of the sun and get back into safer-and cooler space.

Upon walking back to Section 30, where this had all started, Scannell and Riley were amazed to notice that the ship was still in one piece and not a scorch mark on her. The familiar soothing presence and welcoming hum were enough to nearly make me cry. She sympathised with me for my decision, but was overjoyed that it had saved the Doctor.

"This is never your ship." Scannell exclaimed. We all smiled at his enthusiasm, but couldn't help but understand his bemusement at the bright blue alien box.

"Compact, eh? And another good word, robust. Barely a scorch mark on her." The Doctor said affectionately as he clasped his hand on her side.

"We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel." Martha said. But both Riley and Scannell shook their heads.

"We've sent out an official mayday. The authorities'll pick us up soon enough." Riley replied, he was looking at Martha like a love-struck fool. I laughed slightly as I had seen that expression a few times in my life. Obviously, Martha and he had bonded in the escape pod, it's funny, dying definitely had a way of doing that to you. I tried not to look over at the Doctor with that last thought.

"Though how we explain what happened…" Scannell said trailing off.

"Just tell them. That sun needs care and protection just like any other living thing." I said. With that, the Doctor went into the TARDIS, he left the door slightly ajar as he waited for Martha and me.

"So, er, you're off then. No chance I'll see you again?" Riley asked hopefully. I pulled back realising that he was having a moment with Martha.

"Not really. It was nice, not dying with you. I reckon you'll find someone worth believing in." She said somewhat awkwardly to him. I tried not to snort, vowing to give her some lessons in flirting.

"I think I already did." He said seriously. It surprised Martha as she seemed flattered by his praise. With that she launched herself at him and kissed him. I was stunned, but pleasantly amused. Riley looked quite pleased with himself after she broke away. In my mind, I flashed back to London when we had been chasing the Cybermen and the Doctor had kissed me.

"Well done. Very hot." She said, lost for words to say. At that I snorted. Pulling her by the arm towards the TARDIS.

"Yes, excellent job, Martha. Great save." I whispered in her ear. She gave me a withering glare, but I could see the playfulness in her eyes. As we entered the TARDIS, I could feel the light creature in me stretch and a sense of elation filled me like an echo. I shivered and braced myself against one of the coral pillars as I was sure my eyes glowed for a second.

The Doctor was flicking switches as we entered. Glancing up he was strangely silent.

"So. Didn't really need you two in the end, did we? Sorry. How are you doing?" She asked of him. I came up behind her, having wrangled the feeling back down. The Doctor however didn't answer her question and instead changed the subject.

"Now, what do you two say? Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Kur-ha. Fancy it?" The Doctor asked us. I however groaned at the thought of another adventure. I needed to shower and sleep and then perhaps go. Although the thought of being somewhere cool and decent sounded divine. Martha's face dropped.

"Whatever you like." She replied. The Doctor turned to me. I shook my head.

"Uh, no thanks. If I don't sleep I won't be doing anything other than fall flat on my face. But maybe after." I added. The Doctor looked somewhat disappointed, but then his face lit up as though he had forgotten something.

"By the way, you'll be needing this." The Doctor pulled out a long chain with an odd shaped device on the end. It looked like an old-fashioned key. Martha seemed to become excited, I just looked on confused. Holding her hands out she accepted his gift.

"Really?" She asked in almost incredulity that he would give it to her. Then she looked up at me in worry. The Doctor followed her gaze to my owned bemused one.

"TARDIS key. Frequent flier's privilege. Thank you." He said as way of explanation. I raised one brow and put my hands on my hips.

"So, what am I, excess baggage?" I asked sarcastically. He laughed.

"No, Riana. But I have already given you one of these. You'll get it later, or in my case earlier time. I promise you more than anyone deserve one of these. Now I actually have something else instead for you." With that I watched as he handed me a small golden object. I realised it was another charm, shaped like a sun. He soniced my bracelet open and added the charm to it with the other too. Carefully studying them as he did so. His eyes were sad.

I reached up once he closed it again and placed my hand on his shoulder. Martha quickly dashed away as she pulled out her phone, mutter something like 'mum' under her breath.

"Hey, it's ok Doctor. It's not that bad. Yes, I know I am young, but I have to grow up sometime." I said to him. His eyes met mine and they were deep brown pools again.

"I know, but for me, every time I see you, I know there will be a day when you don't recognise me. When you look into my eyes and ask me who I am. It's ok for you, you have so much to come, days that will change the stars and I know because I have lived them, my Riana. Oh, the things we will see." He said softly. His hand cupping my face. I didn't want to acknowledge the unnameable emotion that shone so brightly behind his eyes.

"I wish you could be older…" He began. But I stopped him by bringing my hand to his and taking it in my grasp to my chest.

"But I'm not Doctor. I'm simply glad to have met you and have been given the chance, no matter how insane to see the stars. That's all I ever dreamed about for the longest time and you made that happen. For that, I will never be able to thank you enough. Let's just enjoy each day as they come, or happen. Perhaps we will never meet in the right order, but I think out of everyone I have ever met, you would be the impossible man to make it work. You said something to me not long ago, you said somethings have to be lived, not told." I said in reply. The Doctor's eyes saddened but he withdrew from the previous intensity.

"As you say, my dear Riana." He said. "As you say." On the other side of the TARDIS console I watched as Martha spoke to her mum in over dramatic tones. I turned away again as I felt my eyes flash white gold and a voice in my head whisper.

 _Now Red One, the light will spread._

 **Next Chapter: The Unquiet Dead- The Angry Heart**

 **Akheet Terms**

 **Tazkin-** A very popular illegal drug that is often used on Tiaanamat and the Seven Worlds, for recreational use and finding a 'high'. A known side effect is that it induces hallucinations and a hazy mind.

 **Suhz** \- The equivalent of a bee from the planet Quania.

 **Walwallow** \- The equivalent animal of a wolf.

 **Chulki** \- A flirt.

 **Demni'narwal-** Despicable cad.

 **Malgakii-** A six legged, herbivore with a notoriously beautiful pelt found on the planet of Quania. A very common saying to not look one in the rear, for the pelt becomes dirtied by its waste.


	9. The Unquiet Dead- The Angry Heart

**AN/ Hi again everyone I can't believe it's nearly Christmas and I left you guys hanging for over 4 months before I updated, I'm so sorry. I have received all of your reviews and they have each made my day. A special shout out to Pocket Bug for her lovely review and yes I will be changing some of the original Timeline of events as the story progresses and adding things in to make it interesting.**

 **This Chapter was so hard to write, I have had it sitting half unfinished for months and suddenly 2 days ago my muse came back and demanded I get on with this and stop procrastinating as I actually have some time to update more chapters and I promise I will have another new chapter coming soon, probably within the next week or so. I really hope I got 9's anger right in this as I don't want it to seem too excessive.**

 **As always spoilers for those who know where to look for upcoming chapters and plot threads. I've certainly got some good ideas for Riana's adventures ahead.**

 **Merry Chirstmas to all and if you don't celebrate Christmas have a fantastic day anyway.**

 **PS Who else is excited for the Christmas Special this year (Although I am terribly sad Peter Capauldi is leaving he was in the end a fantastic Doctor)**

 **Jd009**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: The Unquiet Dead- The Angry Heart**

I was panting, hidden behind a garden statue. If anyone were to ask me what I would rather be doing, it would be anything but this. Damn the Doctor and his incessant need to let curiosity get the better of him!

He couldn't just leave well enough alone and Martha, well she was just as bad as him, although I wasn't as irritated with her as she wasn't entirely at fault, being less educated in the ways of the universe and interstellar civilisations than the Doctor or myself. Still it should have just been a normal outing. After the day we'd all had, I had taken a shower eaten and then crashed on my bed for the next day and a half. Not surfacing until my body had completely recovered from my harrowing ordeal. I probably wouldn't need to sleep again for some time, but a fast metabolism required constant nutrition.

So, when the Doctor had suggested an outing, we had all been up for the ice skating, which much to my surprise had actually gone according to plan, it was the next trip a day later that had gone to complete zeem'al. I for one had gotten a bit sick of extreme heat and cold. So, a nice trip to a safe leisure spa on an intergalactic cruise sounded truly divine. Not knowing next when I would leave the TARDIS, Martha and I suited up for a nice soak in the spa.

What we had expected was for the Doctor to wander off alone and maybe talk to some people, heck get someone annoyed with his wise-ass remarks, then have to apologise before he got himself arrested or slapped. What I hadn't expected and what I should know better by now, was to never leave him alone for too long, for undoubtedly his mouth will bite off more than it could chew.

Trouble, as in running for our lives hiding in the ships botanical gardens, with the Emperor of the Fifth Nomadia's sacred glass ball clutched in one hand, while the other was currently handcuffed to the Doctor. While numerous angry imperial guards hunted for our heads on a platter. Did I also mention I was in my swimwear?

The Doctor had caught wind of a secret meeting and like the idiot he was, decided that it would be a good idea to crash the party, so to speak. Martha was all for it as well, despite my insistent warnings against leaving well enough alone. The Doctor's argument that it might be life or death, was still not enough to sway me from my much needed and long-awaited spa treatment.

What can I say, Skorvian oil really did wonders for the skin. So, while Martha had forgone joining me in the hot oil bath, she had instead accompanied the Doctor into sticking their noses where they didn't belong. The highlight of my day was the half-hour of spa time I had gotten before the communicator the Doctor had given me, began to beep. I knew that could only mean trouble.

The so-called meeting, the Doctor and Martha had interrupted was between the ruler of half a galaxy and the Treshian Alliance, which ruled nearly the other half. These two species as I had read had been at war for longer than my civilisation had been around. They both fought over an incredibly valuable object, known as the sphere of Atzaan. Supposed to be their creator and held all the lost knowledge of their history. Neither species could agree upon who had come first. So the fact that they had chosen this cruise liner was a surprise, but signalled an historic moment in time.

Of course, the Doctor had opened his mouth and then suddenly they were declaring war again, but not against each other, oh no, the Doctor had done something better. He had thought it a good idea to distract them by grabbing the orb. Which turned out to be the highest crime a being could commit. No instead they had declared eternal war against the Doctor, Martha and myself. Well originally against him and Martha and had handcuffed them together to stop them escaping.

I had turned up unaware of this and found myself handcuffed to the Doctor as well. Still in my swim wear and beyond angry that we were about to be executed. The two races had been united like never before and in a fit of desperation I had used my telekinesis to grab the orb and knock everyone out. We had made a mad dash for the TARDIS, as not two minutes later, the entire security and armed personnel were hunting for us and were trying to kill us and retrieve the orb. If we had it though, we had the upper hand. The Doctor wouldn't stop talking and Martha seemed to think it one big joke, as though getting arrested and nearly being summarily executed was a good thing.

It had then fallen to me, to get their asses moving in the general direction of safety and I couldn't be sure, but I could swear I could feel the Doctor's eyes on my backside as we sprinted. Although my swimsuit was a one piece, it was still a lot less clothing than I normally wore. Which lead me to where I was now.

The TARDIS was but 200m in front of us and it was only a straight dash to safety. The only problem were the 20 armed guards between us and her. I sighed feeling the insistent tugging of the Doctor behind me.

"We can't stay here." He muttered. I snorted, way to state the obvious Doctor. Martha made a noise of agreement.

"Why can you never just leave well enough alone? It's like your entire life just revolves around sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. I mean would it have killed you to go, oh wait this is one of the most important meetings in the history of time, better just let it be and observe from a distance?" I said to him in incredulity. The Doctor smirked at my non-amused tone.

"But my dear, where would the fun be in that? Plus, it was actually our presence that united them in an alliance that will span nearly a million years. One of the strongest galactic Empires to ever exist responsible for defeating the hordes of travesty…ahem anyway we should probably be more concerned with getting to the TARDIS and preferably not dying." He said. I narrowed my eyes dangerously and I watched as his Adam's apple went up and down, as he swallowed nervously.

"How are we going to do that exactly?" Martha asked. The Doctor looked thoughtfully at them before deciding upon something ridiculously mad no doubt. He raised his sonic screwdriver and created an explosion from several of the lights in the gardens and a high-pitched screeching noise from the speakers, where pleasant music was playing softly.

The result was far too much chaos to comprehend as the guards ran around like headless _wampaii's_ and clutched their ears at the Grandfather awful racket. My hearing was particularly sensitive and I swore in pain as my eyes watered at the noise. If I wasn't so busy trying to make a run for it I would be cringing on the ground with my ears covered.

We sprinted all three of us towards the TARDIS with thankfully no injuries. Somehow, I had kept a hold of the orb after all that time and hadn't had the presence of mind to throw it away. So, while we burst through the doors, tripping over our own feet in our haste to not be killed, I nearly smashed the thing when I almost tossed in onto the floor grating. Martha slammed the doors closed as the Doctor got up and started pressing levers on the console as the familiar whirring and groaning of the time rotor started up and we dematerialised.

We were yanked along behind the Doctor and thrown about until we landed on our backsides. The moment of tense silence was broken when the Doctor began to laugh and Martha joined not a moment later. It was relieved laughter, after one nearly dies. I sighed as I realised I was still slightly damp from the now cold oil and was making marks all over the TARDIS's floor. I was not amused.

"Can you please get these stupid things off us!" I declared hotly. The Doctor grinned before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. With a whir and a buzz, the handcuffs unlocked. I yanked my hand out of them quickly and rubbed my slightly tender wrist. The Doctor noticed my sour expression and made a pouty face at me. My inclination to smack him increased.

"Why such a grim face, Riana? We escaped, got away from them with our heads intact, might I add. Why thank you, thank you very much." He said the last part with a funny accent. My nostrils flared. Martha seemed to sense I was a hairsbreadth away from losing it.

"A grim face? A grim face! Are you without any common sense at all? We nearly died, which I might add is a far too frequent occurring thing with you. Would it kill you just for once not to have to get arrested, thrown in jail or sentenced to execution? Or better yet not to get us in the thick of the trouble. I just wanted a nice relaxing day at the spa after my week of near death experiences." By the time I reached the last part of my rant I was fully shouting.

The Doctor's face still had not lost its amused expression at my indignation at being disrupted from my oil bath to pull his _dwinni_ arse from the fire. Still he seemed to try and become more serious as Martha cleared her throat.

"Well, yes of course, dying a very serious thing. I'll try harder next time to avoid getting into trouble. But even you have to admit Riana that was brilliant!" He said excitedly, still entirely missing the point of this conversation.

"Urh, you are….urh, so bloody impossible and ridiculous that I don't even know why I bother trying to reason with you. It's like I open my mouth and all you hear is not dead, blah blah blah cool let's do that again!" I said exasperated. Martha was nearly snorting with laughter now at my ranting and the lack of seriousness that the Doctor was taking me with. I probably wasn't very serious looking, ranting and raving in my swim suit covered in oil and my hair a mess, holding an incredibly valuable object in one hand.

"Not to mention, that I warned you not to go and you still did and I had to get out of my bath to save you, only to get handcuffed to you and spend the next half an hour run around a ship in my swim wear, while I know you were checking out my arse…" I was still ranting and Martha's laughter was nearly outright now as the Doctor's expression became more and more like a kicked _Ooski_ and a red flush spread up his cheeks. Finally, Martha couldn't hold it in anymore and began to laugh so hard she was bent double with tears streaming from her eyes.

The Doctor looked put out as he tried to deny my accusation. Even as I advanced on him with my finger poking into his chest in admonishment. His hands went up in a motion of surrender as he was faced with my ire.

"So, you're just going to stand there and say nothing?" I demanded of him.

"Um…sorry?" The Doctor said, although it was more a question than a statement. That ticked me off more that he wasn't even attempting to apologise.

"Sorry! That's all you have to say. How about 'yes Riana you were right', or 'no I shouldn't have stuck my nose where it didn't belong' or even, 'sorry for being a pervert when I really should really have been focusing on running for my life'." I yelled. Now the Doctor was really panicking.

"Um, sorry for making you have to save us and have people see you in your swim wear, well even though that's what it's designed for. But also for having to check out your arse…I mean, not having to check it out, because that would be wrong and really not what I was doing. Also for not listening to you as you were right and Martha and I promise to do so from now on." He said in a rush with his usual verbal dribble.

It was difficult not to admit I found it entirely too amusing, causing him to trip over his words in a haste to reassure me of his attentions. Or the fact he was such a typical male at times, that it was almost scary. Martha's laughter was starting to make it hard not to smile as well as keep my annoyed expression in place. A raised eyebrow had him nearly backing away from me.

What more I would have said was quickly lost, as for the first time in nearly five days I felt the familiar tingle in my body. The slow warmth that crept up my limbs and the red light that emanated from the locket and grew to encompass me. I knew I was off again to Akhaten knows where in the Doctor's timeline. Except like last time, I was not in the best state and had little clothing on; although I made sure that I was wearing shoes this time.

The orb was still in my hand, as I let out a frustrated growl. No, I wasn't finished yet with this Doctor or Martha. I wanted to spend more time getting to know them and travelling the regular way. While I was not really that grateful to have nearly died, I could admit the high that came from surviving such encounters. The Doctor's expression became one of sadness as his face grew solemn. He offered me a small smile.

"Goodbye my Riana. Until we meet again. Also, I am truly sorry for nearly getting us killed, I promise I'll make it up to you!" He said, nearly shouting the last bit as I was compressed and stretched through Time and Space.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

This time I at least landed on my feet and remained, somewhat upright. As to where I had landed though, I genuinely did not know. It was dark and some stars were visible in the sky, so that meant it was a planet and it had a breathable atmosphere, by the obvious lack of asphyxiation on my part.

However, it was also very primitive going by the structure of the wooden houses and the gas lamps decorating the streets. It was also snowing- brilliant. (Note my sarcasm.) The snow was gently falling in small flakes that settled themselves on my hair and person. I shivered slightly, even if the cold didn't bother me that much, I was wearing my swim suit and much of my skin was bare. I was also covered in oil and whatever heat had once been in it, was long gone now.

Looking around, I could've sworn that I had been somewhere similar before, my first trip in fact with the Doctor, to London. Which meant that I must be on Earth again. I sighed, the Doctor really had a love of this planet and its native inhabitant; humans. Noticing something shining at my feet, I realised the orb had come with me. I picked it up and wrapped my arms around myself, I began to trudge through the snow in search of the Doctor. Luckily, there didn't seem to be too many others around, so any odd looks I might have received at the state of my dress went unmentioned.

I wasn't surprised that I had been dropped in the middle of nowhere, that seemed to be a reoccurring theme with the Doctor. I knew he would show up eventually, but it was the difficult and at times cumbersome effort of finding him and all the trouble that went along with it.

I suppose I should have expected it by now, the fact that it wouldn't have lasted forever, travelling with only one Doctor. But it had made me hope that for a brief time, I could be somewhat normal. Like one of the Doctor's other companions. Even I knew that travelling with him like a normal companion, didn't necessarily make me one. Something that was becoming quite clear the more I saw of the Doctor.

I stopped after a few minutes to try and get my bearings, this was getting ridiculous! Where was the Doctor? The locket wasn't pulsing or snatching me from my body to show me a hint. No, in fact it was silent, eerily so.

I shivered at that ominous sign. It reminded me of my other little problem that I had tried to push to the back of mind the light creature trapped inside of me. It had spoken no other word to me other than that one last chilling statement. I had hoped I had imagined it, that the locket for all its annoyance, would do something right for once and get rid of it for me. But if I concentrated just right, I could feel the strange hum that radiated from my body, tingling away beneath the surface of my skin that proved that it was no mere dream.

Just as I was about to stamp my foot in irritation and yell at the top of my lungs for the Doctor, which thinking about it was a fairly foolish idea. Akhaten answered my prayers. The familiar wheezing, groaning of the TARDIS filled the air and I watched in gladness and trepidation as it materialized. I sprinted forward until I was in front of its doors. The old girl hummed in greeting to me and I smiled in kind.

"Hello, old girl. Thanks for showing when you did. Shall we see which Doctor is in store for me this time?" I said softly to her. Her encouraging hum was all I needed to hear. However, when I went to open the door, it was locked. I pulled as hard as I could, but the doors remained firmly shut. The TARDIS hummed in irritation at my antics, reminding me to be patient.

"Hey, you're not the one stuck out here in your swimsuit freezing her arse off." I reminded her. Instead I knocked loudly on the doors.

"Doctor! You better get your butt out here now, or Akhaten so help me I'm kicking it!" I threatened. I heard grumbling and some laughter from within, as not a minute later the door was opened by a strange man in front of me. He was taller than me, but not as tall as Chulki, nor as good looking. He had short dark, closely cut hair and big clear blue eyes that appeared from a middle-aged face. His ears were ridiculously big and stuck out from the side of his head. He wore a black well-worn leather jacket, over the top of dark pants and a dark shirt underneath.

In fact, everything about him appeared quite gloomy in comparison to many of his future incarnations. In case the question arose as to how I was sure this was the Doctor, well for one he opened the door of the TARDIS and second it was the ancient eyes, hidden in a relatively youthful face. Not to mention the raised brow at my appearance. I also remembered seeing this face before his 9th incarnation, if I remembered correctly.

"Riana, making an entrance as usual. But please do come in." He said somewhat impishly. I grunted in acknowledgement of his presence, as I brushed past him into the far more inviting temperature and feel of the TARDIS's interior. On the inside, it looked very similar to Chulki's TARDIS, but was even somewhat darker feeling. In this moment, I missed Kaluskalu's TARDIS, the warmth and the light it emitted.

Next to the console, I spotted a young blonde-haired girl, a human I was assuming going by her attire and rounded ears. She wore a grey t-shirt, dark blue material pants, which Martha had informed me were called jeans. She also had on an undone cream and dark red jacket hanging off one shoulder. Her eyes were a soulful inquisitive brown and there was an innocence and naivety to her countenance. She appeared very young, and not knowing what was considered young in human years, I would have put her at perhaps 28 in Zell years.

I stopped and examined her closely, but she did no such thing for me as her eyes lit up in recognition. She smirked at my clothing and turned to face the dark leather clad man, who was obviously the Doctor.

"So, if I am starting a riot Doctor, what d'you think Riana's starting, Christmas come early for all the very naughty boys?" She laughed mischievously. The Doctor had the good grace to tug uncomfortably at his ear. I had obviously come in on the end of a conversation.

"Sorry, not to interrupt, but are you implying that I'm a hooker?" I asked the girl. She snorted, but rolled her eyes. She came over to me and tugged on my hand.

"Oh, lighten up Riana. You know how we love to tease him, keeps him honest you always say. It's just its 1860 out there and the Doctor seems to think I will start a riot with the way I'm dressed and then you literally showed up in your swim costume." She explained. I shook my head in amusement. I stopped her from going further as I turned back to the Doctor.

"So you must be the Doctor, interesting I haven't seen this face of yours before. Aren't you going to introduce me to your other guest?" I asked of him. His blue eyes sharpened at my statement and I noticed his eyes went to my right wrist where the three charms were very visible. The other girl followed his gaze and her eyes became confused.

"Um, I'm Rose. You know you met me before seemed to know everything about me before even the Doctor did. Convinced me to come along with the both of you. Ringing any bells?" She asked.

"Rose, remember I explained how this works before, Riana did as well the last time. We don't meet in the right order. So the Riana you're meeting now is actually a younger version than the ones we have met before. She hasn't done any of the stuff we have and you can't tell her about it." He explained. Rose's eyes widened in understanding. Then she took my hand again and shook it.

"Well, I'm Rose Tyler, human that's me." She said with a great amount of warmth. I smiled at her enthusiasm, having the feeling that I would like her honest demeanour and friendliness.

"Nice to meet you Rose Tyler. But before we get too carried away, the Doctor's point does stand, we kind of need to change before venturing out to explore 1860, whenever that it." I added. The Doctor gave instructions of where Rose could find the wardrobe and she took off to get changed. Which left me alone with the Doctor. He had gone back to 'fixing' the console. Without turning around, he was speaking to me.

"You should probably get changed as well, unless you want to be standing around like that?" He said. I was waiting for him to ask me the codeword, which the last Doctor had given me not too long ago.

"Aren't you going to ask?" I said promptly.

"Ask what?" He said. I rolled my eyes.

"If you're trying to be funny, you're not. The codeword dumb head." I said. The Doctor looked up then.

"Ah yes, the codeword, that little matter. I take it that from lack of recognition of me or Rose this is the earliest it has been for you?" The Doctor asked. I nodded, not really seeing where he was going with this.

"Would explain a few things that's all. But I take it that you have in fact met me before. Other faces if I'm correct, but you won't talk about them, or tell me anything about my future…" I still didn't see what he was getting at. Was he fishing for information? Having had enough, I turned to him exasperatedly.

"Look, I don't really see what you are asking. All I asked was whether you were going to ask me the codeword, so you know where we are in relation to each other." I was starting to get a bit ticked off now with his evasiveness.

"I still don't see the point in this little dance and routine that you insist on sticking too. What is even the point of these silly codewords. You could just tell me." He said and I could detect a note of bitterness in his voice as he spoke. I was surprised, I had never encountered a version of the Doctor who didn't seem to immediately regard me with fondness. While this Doctor obviously knew my name, I got the feeling that his trust in me was more out of little choice than genuine affection.

"What are you talking about? Dance and routine? Have I done something to offend you, far be it for me to earn your displeasure at something I haven't even done yet. As for the point of the 'silly codewords' they were your idea that I am just following on." I said somewhat hotly. He had now turned to face me fully, his expression becoming irate.

"I created it? It was you who just pushed yourself into my life when I didn't ask for you too. You who insisted I needed someone to travel with, when I was fine being on my own. What about your constant evasiveness and failure to warn me when my choices get people killed? So sorry if I don't immediately jump to follow your instruction on something I don't quite like." He said angrily. I was completely baffled as to why he disliked me so.

"What?" I said. He suddenly stopped ranting as he saw my face becoming paler.

"Surely you know." He said, now coming to realise his mistake.

"Don't." I said holding a hand to stop him coming closer. "Why are you being so nasty to me?" I said softly, my sympathy and pity for him outweighing my anger. The Doctor looked away, before running his hand over his face.

"Look, I shouldn't even be talking to you about this. I'm sorry for saying that, I was angry with you. From last time. You just left me and Rose with no explanation and after all those people died. You always just turn up and then expect us to do what we're told and then swan off into the distance as though nothing can affect you." He said.

What had I done to make him this way?

"Why would I leave you?" I asked.

The Doctor's jaw worked but he remained quiet. Somehow, the concept of him disliking me didn't seem to unbelievable or misplaced now. I waited for the ominous answer to come but the Doctor remained resolute in his silence and I knew I wouldn't be getting the answer anytime soon.

"Saggy trampoline." He said out of nowhere. I stared at him bewilderment. What did that even mean? Was he off his rocker or something? My confusion must have been pretty obvious as he sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me?" I said somewhat offended at that the thought that he might be insulting me.

"The codeword, you wanted to know what it is, well it's Saggy Trampoline." He explained as though I was retarded. I made an understanding noise as I forced myself to meet his weary angry eyes. I tried not to flinch at the thought of what his last words implied and his strange silence on the matter.

"Right, mine's Sunburst." I replied. The Doctor's brows raised in scepticism.

"What like the sweet?" He asked. I shrugged not having the first clue what he was referring too. Did that mean there were lollies out there that burst like a sun in your mouth? How dangerous!

"Don't think so, you picked it. Plus, I have no idea what yours means. So, I guess this means its early for both of us. Doctor, whatever I might have done…in the future I mean…please I want you to know I would never do anything to deliberately hurt you if I could help it…" I said trailing off awkwardly. The Doctor glared slightly at me. With a deep breath, he turned back to the TARDIS console and let the air rush out of his lungs in frustration.

"Just…forget it alright. What I said before, I say things I don't mean when I'm angry. Go get changed." He said to me. I gritted my teeth, it was like trying to pull Ooska's teeth, stubborn and extremely dangerous for the people involved. I vowed to have more patience with the Doctor today as a promise I made Kaluskalu.

With anger and heavy sadness in my heart I turned away from the Doctor and marched out of the console room, towards my own room.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Finding my room was easy enough, it was exactly where I remembered it to be from the last TARDIS I had been in. Which made me wonder how much earlier was this from the last Doctor I had encountered. How many times had he met _me?_ It was certainly a strange sensation.

But the worst thing that weighed on my mind was his terrible angry attitude towards me. To think that I would be so blasé about the potential deaths of others was…disturbing. It made me wonder if I really abandoned any morals that I had now, or was everything just a means to an end?

With the glass orb still clutched in one hand and my now semi dried blue swim suit the only thing I was wearing, I made my way into the room. To say that I expected it to be almost identical to the room I had just left was an understatement. I was so confused that I stopped mid step and stared. It was nothing like the room I had just left.

Well, the bed was the same, but the comforter and the duvet over was completely different from the usual colour. Instead it was a plain deep navy blue with silver trimmings, no stars. There were no white gauzy curtains that surrounded the sides either, just the four posters holding up a canopy above. The carpet was still cream like the walls of the room. No stars and galaxies swirled overhead on the roof or wind chimes tinkled softly. There was a fireplace with a chair in front of it, but there was only one. There were various book shelves around the room, but they were mostly empty. Altogether, the room felt, wrong…barren.

I knew realistically at some point I must have started to decorate it as it couldn't have magically done so by itself, but it saddened me. A sympathetic hum greeted me and I smiled slightly as the TARDIS did her best to reassure me. I felt a slight tugging sensation which I followed over to an empty shelf, well it had only one thing on it actually. It was a as near I could tell a still life-like image.

What was strange was that I recognised the smiling blue haired woman in the image. Her hair was only a few shades lighter than mine and her eyes were a deep blue. The points of her ears were visible through the curtain of her hair that was elaborately done up. A silver head piece with a sapphire rested on her brow. She wore a sky-blue gown of gossamer silk trimmed with silver. Next to her stood a man, however when I tried to make out his image it seemed to blur, and I quickly found myself distracted. There was a third figure in the frame a young child, but it was difficult to place where the feeling of recognition came from.

The hum of the TARDIS, caught my attention again as I realised a special holder had been created to hold the orb next to the framed image. I snorted in fond irritation, as I remembered my most recent encounter with the Doctor. I placed the precious sphere of Atzaan on to the shelf and then laughed as it really only was just a glass orb. Oh well at least I knew for certain that it wouldn't be getting stolen anytime soon. I couldn't help but feel that whatever today's adventure brought, it was going to test me to my core. This Doctor had made it clear that I was on my own in certain departments, or our usual camaraderie shouldn't be taken for granted. I sighed there was as Martha had once said to me, no point crying over spilt milk. An odd turn of phrase if ever I had heard one.

Focusing on taking a quick shower and choosing appropriate wear for… what year had the blonde-haired girl said we were in? 1850? 1860? When the TARDIS lead me to the back of the wardrobe, which was not nearly as filled with dresses as I was used to, to what felt like the right choice I was nearly gobsmacked. It was certainly not what I was expecting to be appropriate attire for this era and that colour! But still I now knew why that number rang a bell for me, it was because it was similar to what Rosita had worn. So, I suppose the attire was sort of appropriate- even if I had never seen anything like it. Choosing to be daring I grinned as I grabbed the dress and tried to put it on.

Tried being the optimal word…

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

I was somewhat on a high note when I walked back into the console room as I had finally managed to get the horrendous thing they called a dress onto myself. It was a bright shade of almost fuchsia faille silk. It hugged my waist snuggly with what I learned was called a corset and flowed out in a voluminous skirt with a bustle and many ruffles in the layered skirt. The top of the gown was an off the shoulder neckline with small puffy sleeves, which left almost all of my arms bare. The locket would suffice well enough for a small set of jewellery, the only problem is that it did not match the colour of my dress.

I found a solution to that by tucking the pendant beneath my breast so only the gold chain was visible. My hair I had twisted into high bun and pinned it so that almost nothing was loose. The only problem remained was my pointed ears. Blue hair was easy enough to explain away, but pointed ears was harder. I had settled on a thick pink ribbon which I tied around the front of my hair with the tips of my ears tucked underneath it. I let the ends trail down my back to give it some flair. Shoes were harder, as the TARDIS insisted on a block heeled pair that were slipped over the foot and secured with a thin strap over the foot. They were a dark plum colour and completely covered over the toes. I sighed, sincerely hoping we wouldn't need to run anywhere today.

Ahead of me I spotted Rose (I had remembered her name by now), she was dressed similarly to me only her dress was a dark red with a much narrower skirt and bodice tipped with black. Her hair was pinned up in a low twist and fastened with a red flower head piece. She wore a long black cape over her clothes presumably to provide warmth I figured. She was standing in front of where the Doctor was working underneath the console. I was about to announce my presence when Rose spoke laughing somewhat self-consciously at her appearance.

"Don't laugh." She said smoothing down the front of her dress. The Doctor looked awestruck at her appearance and his blue eyes were almost twinkling in approval. I noticed how his pupils had dilated and something inside me twisted uncomfortably.

 _You're being stupid Riana, as if it matters if he thinks she looks good. You don't need him to always tell you that to satisfy your ego._ I thought to myself harshly, brushing the twisting feeling inside my stomach aside.

"Blimey! You look beautiful… considering." The Doctor stated trailing off sharply. Rose looked confused at his hasty coverup.

"Considering what?" She asked. I already knew however what excuse he was going to use. Deciding to intervene before he stuck his foot in his mouth again- and yes that was the only reason I was going to stick with for going out there. I walked out from the doorway into view.

"Considering your Human. Don't take it too personally, the Doctor as our resident Time Lord has somewhat of a problem with acknowledging other species attributes and realising that we aren't _ALL_ inferior to their superiority. Personally, I think you look lovely, Rose, regardless of species." I said somewhat snarkily towards the Doctor. The Doctor was levelling me with his best glare although I noticed I had taken him by surprise.

Rose looked awkwardly between the two of us as she tried to decide what was safe to say. Finally deciding I was the lesser of the two evils she smiled gratefully at me.

"Thanks Riana, you look lovely as well. Doesn't she Doctor?" Rose added pointedly towards me. The Doctor grumbled something under his breath as he turned around and met my eyes. His gaze gave me a cursory once over before he turned around and threw over his shoulder.

"Yep, very nice. Now what are we waiting for our adventure awaits." He said as he headed for the door. Well that stung. I thought to myself as I tried to brush it off and not let it show that it bothered me. Rose appeared confused by his brief appraisal, but he hadn't been particularly rude so there wasn't really anything I could say to his remark, other than an irritated huff and a prayer to Akhaten to preserve my patience with the infuriating child-man.

Rose however wasn't subdued for long as she demanded to know if the Doctor had changed at all. He looked exasperated at her question when he declared that he had indeed changed his jumper to a different colour. I nearly snorted as in my opinion he didn't look all that different than before. Rose clearly agreed as she gave me a look that said 'I know right', before she again pushed in front of both me and him and turned around in her excitement from the prospect of entering a new time and place.

"Don't move, this one's mine! You both have done this before and I want to be the one to see what's out there this time and Riana, don't even think about any spoilers." Rose said as she turned around pushed the door open. I couldn't help but smile at the wonderous look on her face as she took in the dark snow-covered alley. It must have started snowing again as there was a fresh layer of snow on the ground. Rose gingerly stepped out and shivered slightly in the sudden drop in temperature.

I wondered if this was why the Doctor kept us around, for the never ending thrill of seeing another being discover the wonders of the Universe for the first time, every time. The Doctor smiled at her in obvious amusement as he offered his arm to her. She laughed as she took it.

"Ready for this? Here we go. History." He said. With that he set off down the way I had originally come from. I shook my head as I noticed he hadn't once glanced back in my direction, assuming that I would either follow him automatically, or not caring if I didn't. I had a sneaking suspicion is might be the latter.

The air was brisk, and the snow crunched under my shoes. I wasn't cold anymore as I found being dry and freshly dressed much more pleasant. I could hear voices singing in the distance and a few of them I recognised from my last visit to Earth. Realising that it might in fact be the pagan holiday of Christmas again, I wondered if this would become a regular thing.

We exited the alleyway to enter onto another street. There were more lights now and as we leisurely strolled down them, we started to encounter more people going about their business. Horses walked passed pulling carriages, still reeking up the place. Humans singing in the background could be seen. The wind had picked up and was blowing people's coats and scarves all over the place. I had to dodge several young boys kicking a ball in the middle of the street and sprint to catch up with Rose and the Doctor.

The Doctor wore a cheerful grin on his face and I couldn't help noticing how much nicer his face appeared when he wasn't scowling or being angry at something, namely myself. Rose looked like she had met the Old God himself with how intensely and almost reverently she took in the sights around us. As I caught up with them the Doctor steered them down another path towards a man selling pieces of folded up paper with many words on them.

"Get your newspapers here! Get your newspapers here!" He yelled over the wind and the singing humans. The Doctor left Rose and myself as he went over to the man and exchanged a silver round disk for one of the newspapers. I wondered if that silver disk had much Preciousness in it?

"Isn't this just fantastic!" Rose said enthusiastically to me. My attention was somewhat occupied as I had just noticed a horse drawn carriage pull up near the side of an opulent building. There was a man and a dark-haired woman with him. They seemed to be talking as I caught part of their conversation on the wind.

"She's in there, sir, I'm certain of it." The woman said.

"Right." The man replied. I frowned at the nervousness that radiated off him. I could literally almost taste it. The locket pulsed once against my chest and I knew that somehow those two were important to whatever events were about to unfold.

"…Riana! Are you even listening to me?" Rose said waving her hand in front of my face. I startled at the motion breaking my attention from the two individuals across the square.

"What? Oh Grandfather, sorry Rose, I was just thinking about something." I said trying to apologise for my lack of interest. She sighed but rolled her eyes in amusement.

"I said, isn't this just fantastic." Rose reiterated. I nodded my head in agreement but was watching as the Doctor headed back towards us. I had lost track of the other two individuals when I had been distracted by Rose. Her brown eyes were furrowed as she looked at me with worry.

"Hey, what's wrong? If this is about the Doctor, I really don't know what has got into him. He isn't usually this…short with you." Rose said. I focused back on her then, trying to reassure her it wasn't her fault.

"Rose… I'm fine, it's just the Doctor said-" Whatever I was about to say was cut off when the Doctor returned. With a sharp look he raised his brow at me.

"I said what?" He asked. I rolled my eyes at his challenge and decided to ignore it for the moment. I shrugged.

"Nothing it's not important. What's that?" I asked instead brushing his question off. The Doctor scowled slightly had my redirection of the conversation, but didn't ask again as he looked at the newspaper he was holding.

"Just a newspaper." He replied.

"Yes, that's really helpful for those of us who weren't born on this planet and haven't attended the newspaper classes." I scoffed. The Doctor rolled his eyes at my sarcasm.

"This is a printed publication in which news, articles, advertisements, and correspondence are contained and made aware to the general public." He replied in his usual lecturing I'm a genius voice.

"Helpful." I muttered. We were walking down the street again as the Doctor perused the newspaper for clues about the current time and place. Rose had helpfully filled me in that we were supposed to be in Naples a city in a country called Italy in the year 1860. I looked around suspiciously at the surroundings and how similar it was to London and had a general feeling that the Doctor's driving skills weren't quite as good as he claimed.

Sure enough…

"I got the flight a bit wrong." The Doctor's voice eventually says. I smirk making sure to keep my face forward to make sure the Doctor can't see my amusement.

"How wrong is wrong?" I ask innocently. The Doctor I know is glaring at me.

"I don't care." Rose replied still overwhelmed by the splendour of Time travel.

"It's not 1860, it's 1869." The Doctor says. I turn around and raise one of my eyebrows at him, my lips quirked.

"Could be worse." I try to sound nonchalant as I say it too. I know the Doctor can see my amusement. "We could be in completely the wrong location as well." I add.

"I don't care." Rose adds again. The Doctor looked away sheepishly.

"Ahem, and it's not Naples." He said. Now I was smiling.

"Where are we then?" I asked.

"I still don't care." Rose said. I waited for it, the pause before the big reveal.

"It's Cardiff." The Doctor said with finality. Rose stopped dead in her tracks as the Doctor kept walking. She looked thoroughly unimpressed, as though all her excitement had died.

"Right…" She trailed off.

"Where Cardiff?" I asked.

"Whales near England." The Doctor replied. Well that didn't exactly help, where was Whales and what was England. I huffed in exasperation at him.

"Yep that makes it so much clearer." I said.

"It's the most mundane place you can get." Rose said, well at least I now knew why she looked light a hot air balloon that had deflated.

We were walking passed what the Doctor was explaining was a theatre and several historic monuments when the screams began. All of a sudden hundreds of people were flooding the streets in a panic from the building that the Doctor had pointed out as the theatre. I sighed and here was what I had been waiting for, the start of another dangerous adventure. The Doctor grinned as he looked at the both of us in glee.

"That's more like it!" He shouted happily as he chucked the newspaper over his shoulder and ran towards the source of trouble.

"And here I was thinking that we might just have a reasonable day out without all the trouble that you seem to attract." I yelled as I picked up my skirts and ran after him, Rose hot on my heels.

"But where would the fun be in that?" He yelled back, clearly forgetting his anger at me in the thick of the excitement and I found myself grinning back. Curse this stupid dress, the skirts were heavy, and it was difficult to keep up.

We sprinted up the stairs being jostled by the fleeing people as they rushed past in their lavish costumes. I nearly tripped twice but managed to catch myself before I face planted. Rose was facing a similar issue and so I decided after she nearly tripped for the fourth time to use my telekinesis to create a barrier around the both of us as I pushed people aside. The Doctor was just ahead of us when we entered a large carpeted room. There was a stage with an older man standing upon it shouting for people to remain seated. The ceiling was at least four metres tall and there were rows upon rows of red plush seats.

I stopped and stared as an older pale looking woman screamed from her place amongst the sea of seat with strange blue light streaming off her. An unnatural wind buffeted the room, but it was the two familiar individuals that caught my attention. They were just ahead of us pushing through the crowd.

"There she is, sir!" The woman shouted pointing to the pale ghostly woman.

"I can see that. The whole blooming world can see that!" The man shouted anxiously as he watched the strange blue gas left the woman and she collapsed sideways onto the seat behind her. The Doctor was mesmerised by the light show.

"Fantastic!" The Doctor exclaimed as he bounded up the stage stairs to stand next the brown-haired human on the stage. The man and woman made for the woman amongst all those fleeing the scene.

"Did you see where it came from?" The Doctor asked the man on the stage. I was of two minds watching as the other man and woman grab the old woman and make off with her but also being preoccupied with what the Doctor was doing.

"Ah, the wag reveals himself, does he? I trust you're satisfied, sir!" The angry man shouted at the Doctor. The Doctor looked taken aback at the accusation. Rose was making for the stage, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Wait, Rose I need you to do something for me. I need you to follow where that man and woman are taking that old lady. Whatever is going on here, they're part of it." I said. Rose looked torn but nodded, somehow not questioning my command. It was a strange feeling and one I would have to think on at a later time.

"Oi! Leave her alone!" She shouted at the two thieves who became panicked at her pursuit. "Riana, Doctor I'll get them." She yelled over her shoulder as she took off after them. The Doctor looked alarmed but glanced at me to see what I was doing. When he noticed I wasn't following he became concerned.

"Be careful! Riana aren't you going after her?" The Doctor asked me. I joined him on the stage next to the grumpy brown-haired man, who appeared even more bewildered by my appearance.

"No, I told Rose to follow them, she'll be fine." I said off handedly. The Doctor frowned but didn't say anymore on the subject.

"Did it say anything? Can it speak? I'm the Doctor, by the way." He said in his usual verbal dribble. I rolled my eyes when he forgot to introduce me.

"Hi, I'm Riana by the way." I added elbowing the Doctor slightly in the ribs. He grunted but continued with only a single reprimanding look towards me.

"Doctor? You look more like a navvie. And who in the name of the Lord has blue hair?" He said. The Doctor looked down indignantly at his jumper and I couldn't help glancing at my hair in irritation. What was it with Humans and their obsession with my Blue hair, it was respectable Grandfather dammit!

"What's wrong with this jumper?" He exclaimed.

"Hey! Enough cracks about the hair, what is wrong with blue, it is a respectable colour." I said huffily.

"I think that is entirely beside the point." The Doctor said.

"Sure, you can get offended about your jumper, but I can't defend my hair?" I said sarcastically.

"I think you are entirely missing what I'm saying." The Doctor said.

"Really!" I exclaimed in irritation. A clearing of the throat from the other man made us stop arguing.

"WHAT!" We said at the same time.

"I think you are both very strange." He said. I snorted, if that was all this man could come up with, I think we were wasting our time. Just then the blue light disappeared into what looked light a light device, although it was very primitive with a flame flickering instead of a bulb. I surmised it ran on gas and used an oil and wick to burn.

"Gas! It's made of gas." The Doctor said excitedly.

"Thanks for that observation Doctor, I'm so glad we have your smarts to see-"

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

 _Whatever I was about to say was left unfinished as I was ripped from my body when the locket pulsed once very brightly and the light creature inside of me seemed to waken._

 _I was torn through walls out on to the street outside the theatre where the strange man and woman who I had told Rose to follow were putting the ghostly woman's body into the back of their carriage. Rose was running towards them shouting._

" _What're you doing?!" Rose yelled at them. She came up to where the man was standing and was looking at the woman's unconscious form._

" _ **We don't think she is unconscious, we think she is perished."**_ _A voice said from beside me. I jumped, startled to notice that another person was standing beside me. When I turned to look I nearly screamed as I was confronted with what looked like an identical version of myself but with glowing gold white eyes of the light creature._

" _What? How is this possible, you're not supposed to be able to see me like this?" I said nervously. The girl creature laughed in it's deep voice._

" _ **The little blue queen is scared without her precious Doctor to save her. But he is not being so precious, now is he? So angry, so hurtful and he cannot even see the wounds that he carves into your heart. But you try to be brave, for him… for the Doctor…my Doctor."**_ _The girl creature whispered. I was scared, unsure of what it wanted._

" _Stop it! How are you here?" I demanded. The girl creature sighed in annoyance._

" _ **Always demanding we are. I am able to see what you see, hear what you hear, feel what you feel. Our light is joined remember? You woke me here from where I slumbered inside. You are scared of us, but you don't need to be…we can help."**_ _It said. I didn't believe it for a second._

" _I don't want your help. Go away and get out of my head." I said angrily. The creature only rolled its eyes and pointed to the scene in front of us, which had somehow frozen while we talked._

" _ **Be angry then, because being angry always solves everything doesn't it little blue queen. Rather than taking the hand that is offered you would rather bite it off than surrender your pride."**_ _It said knowingly. I gasped as it seemed to almost be able to read my mind._

" _How do you know that? Why would you want to help me?" I asked._

" _ **We are one, your fire and our fire joined. We are changed by the Red Light, by the Heart. That was the price, the agreement you will spread our light. So, we will help you."**_ _It answers were far too confusing for me to be dealing with at the moment. So I decided to just let it go and think it over later._

" _Fine you can help me, why is everything frozen? That's never happened before" I thought outloud. The creature again laughed._

" _ **That is because Time is frozen. In this state many things are possible, but you have slumbered long Red One and you have forgotten. We will help you remember."**_ _It answered. I frowned, first it called me little blue queen and now I was Red One again. Also what did it mean by the Heart? Was this something to do with the locket? The power to control Time? It seemed impossible, yet many things about this locket were, and at this point I was almost willing to believe anything was possible._

" _Right… but how do we unfreeze it?" I asked._

" _ **You must want to."**_ _Was the helpful reply. I groaned in annoyance, if I had to get stuck with a tag along, could they at least have been straightforward in their answers._

" _Cool, let's assume for Grandfather's sake I don't know how to do that. What do I do then." I said. The girl creature rolled its eyes._

" _ **We cannot do this for you Red One, you must find a way. Will Time to start again as you did before when you stopped Korwin to save Abi."**_ _It replied. Great that was so much help, not to mention that before, that was sheer desperation and I in fact failed. Still I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing mind._

 _Reaching out for that familiar thread I tried to will Time to start again. When I looked around nothing had changed. I tried it several more times before I grew angry._

" _Start, Grandfather dammit!" I yelled in sheer frustration and suddenly Time began again. The Light creature, (whom I decided to call_ Zeem'Akh _for nothing better than to save time always refering to it at the Light creature, the girl creature, the nasty burny monster living in my head etc. or Glory for short as that was what its name effectively translated to) snorted at my antics._

 _Rose was suddenly trying to see the woman lying in the back of the carriage. The dark haired woman was barring her from getting a good look._

" _Oh, it's a tragedy, miss. Don't worry yourself. Me and the master will deal with it. The fact is, this poor lady's been taken with the brain fever and we have to get her to the infirmary." The woman lied terribly. I snorted along with Glory over there at her attempt._

" _I don't reckon she could lie to save her life, let alone fool Rose." I muttered._

" _ **Agreed, she is terrible."**_ _Glory said. That didn't stop Rose from pushing past to feel the so obviously dead woman's face now._

" _She's cold. She's dead! Oh, my God, what'd you do to her?" Rose exclaimed, I felt my heart sink, I had held out some hope that she wasn't. I tried to shout a warning to Rose as I spotted the sneaky_ snorri _quietly creeping up behind her to put a cloth over her face. He held Rose firmly as she struggled, but eventually succumbed to whatever drug that cloth was infused with. Oh, he was so dead when I caught up to him._

" _What did you do that for?" The other woman said with shock._

" _She's seen too much. Get her in the hearse. Legs." He commanded her. The woman reluctant obeyed. Helping to haul Rose into the back of the carriage with the dead woman._

" _ **You must hurry little blue queen, your friend doesn't have much time."**_ _Glory said. With that I was pulled back into my body where the Doctor and the brown-haired man were staring at me strangely._

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

"Riana? Riana what's happening?" The Doctor was speaking to me as he waved his hand in front of my face. I couldn't help but notice the concern in his eyes as I came back to myself. I noticed that Glory wasn't there anymore and wondered what had happened.

"Rose…Doctor we need to help Rose!" I yelled as I grabbed my skirts and trying not trip made my way off the stage and out of the hall towards the entrance of the building. The Doctor was close behind me and the other man on the Doctor's heels.

"What's wrong? What happened back there? If she is in trouble I'm going to hold you responsible." He said as he caught up to me. I half glared at him, trying to not to let his words hurt me.

"Yes, because its my fault that the two idiots decided to drug and kidnap her and a dead woman." I yelled back at him. When we reached the stairs, I spotted Rose's head being put into the carriage as the woman slammed the doors and raced back to the carriage. The Doctor skidded to a stop beside me as we both watched helplessly as it drove away. I tried to give chase, but the abominable dress and awful heels slowed me down and they were too far away to attempt to telekinetically stop them without hurting all the people in the carriage.

"Rose!" The Doctor yelled after her. "Riana, stop it, use your telekinesis." He ordered me.

"I can't they're too far away and even if I tried I'm not sure if I could stop it enough for them not to all get hurt." I tried to explain. He turned to me and was all out seething now.

"You told Rose to go after them, knowing she could be in danger and didn't stop her! You knew about those two and didn't tell me a damn thing! It should have been you instead of her, you at least have powers to protect yourself she doesn't. She's just a child and you made me promise to protect her and now I've failed her! Tell me right now why I shouldn't just throw you out of the TARDIS and be done with it? Why should I trust you?" He demanded yelling in his fury. I tried not to flinch under the assault of his words, but it was a difficult thing to accomplish. But I refused to sit here and let him harass me anymore. So, I got angry and did the last thing he would expect, I got up into his personal space and all but growled for him to shut up.

"Enough! I've had just about enough of your snide remarks and your distrust and your anger today. I haven't done anything wrong to deserve this, I made a decision at the time for what I thought would help and if you haven't noticed yet, you had just as much ability to stop her as I did. You chose not to, so don't pin this on me. I'm new at this, it hasn't even been two weeks for me yet since I first met you, so I'm doing my best I really am, but so help me, if you talk to me like that again I will punch you." I threatened him. His glare didn't let up but his anger seemed to cool off slightly as his eyes widened at the new piece of information that I had fed him.

"Why, why are you being so horrible to me, what have I done to make you hate me so?" I whispered. I stepped out of his personal space as all the anger I had just felt drained away, leaving me feeling numb.

"I-I…I don't hate you Riana. I just don't know anything about you. You show up in my life and expect me to trust you when you won't even tell me anything about yourself. You know my future but won't tell me a thing about it, so I might be able to save lives and you just swan off as though you don't care." He said bitterly.

"You don't trust me, do you?" I asked simply.

"You haven't ever given me a real reason too. You know too much, information that is dangerous in the wrong hands and I don't know what to do about it." He said, and I could feel my eyes watering with unshed tears.

"What did I do Doctor, what did I do that made you so angry and distrustful towards me? Please just tell me so I can fix it." I almost begged him.

"I can't. You made that clear right from the beginning, I can't tell you about your future, just as you can't tell me about mine. As much as I loathe it, you are right, knowing your own personal future is dangerous and our situation is about as dangerous as you could get. Look this isn't the time to be having this conversation. We have to rescue Rose. I'll try and not let my anger get the best of me again." He said as he started over to another carriage parked next to the theatre. I ran up after him and yanked on his arm. The brown-haired man had caught up to us while we were arguing.

I wasn't going to let the Doctor be a hypocrite in this scenario. Not spoon feed me convenient excuses when it suited him and ignore them when it didn't.

"No, not this time. You are going to tell me why you feel so empty inside. Why your eyes are so full of anger and sadness. Let me help you." I said.

"Help me? The last time you offered to help me, you made me destroy my own people! So yes, I have a right to be angry and sad and a be ticked off when you act as though you care." His words were like daggers in my heart and I could feel the carefully concealed wound begin to bleed again. I gasped and almost stumbled back from him in fear, not from him, but his words.

 _You made me destroy my own people...you made me destroy my own people...you…made…me…destroy…my…own…people…_

No, it was like my worst nightmare come to life. The thought I could be the one to ruin to ruin this man's life so completely was horrifying.

 _A man awaits; the greatest and most terrible man you will ever know and together you will burn the starts and watch them be reborn again…_

 _All shall come to fear you and all shall come to love you…_

 _So there are other Time Lords yeah?... No. There were, but there aren't…Just me now. Long story. There was a bad day. Bad stuff happened, and you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever._

 _I am a damaged old man. And somehow, I have someone like you in my life. You have such a kind heart and you always try to make things better. Even when it doesn't always work._

What had I done?

 **Next Chapter: The Unquiet dead- The Walking Dead**

 **Akheet Word List**

 **Kaluskalu** \- A ridiculous idiot.

 **Chulki** \- A flirt.

 **Tori'sh** \- Angry heart.

 **Wampaii** \- A flightless poultry bird farmed for its meat. Equivalent of a chicken.

 **Dwinni-** Skinny/childlike

 **Ooska** \- Equivalent of a dog.

 **Zeem'akh** \- Divine Light (aka Glory)

 **Snorri** \- Equivalent of a weasel.


	10. The Unquiet Dead- The Walking Dead

**AN/ Hello all again. I'm back as promised with the next instalment of what is hopefully going to be a pretty long story. This Chapter sees Riana and the Doctor's confrontation come to a head...I wonder who will win? You'll just have to read to find out. Rose gets a bit more screen time and Riana is back to giving the Doctor sass.**

 **It was brought to my attention that Riana really needs a key, it would probably help her from continuously getting locked outside the TARDIS, lol. Don't worry that's coming, but the Doctor has to wait for the right version of her to give her one. In the mean time she'll just have to hope the Doctor hears her knocking.**

 **A bit more of Riana's backstory is revealed in this Chapter and some more secrets are brought to light surrounding her mysterious locket. As always if you know where to look you might be able to pick up on some future plot threads.**

 **Pocket Bug: Thanks again for your lovely review. It really made my day seeing it sitting in my inbox. Yes 10 really can't help himself, you will start to see more hints of when the Doctor starts falling for Riana in the upcoming chapters, although it might be a bit longer before Riana realises her own feelings. As to when exactly they get together, well as River would say Spoilers. I'm also glad that 9 wasn't too over the top, I didn't want to write him as the cliche angry jack*** to the new companion, but as you saw in my story there are reasons for that. As for how and when she forced him to destroyy Gallifrey, well we both know Gallifrey isn't really gone ;) Rose and Riana's relationship is going to be an interesting one. It will certainly have some tense moment from Riana's end when it comes to Rose's feelings for the Doctor as to how that will play out, well you'll just have to see. I also really loved the Christmas Special and I am especially excited for the next season of DW with the brand new Doctor. I can't wait to write her into this story. David Bradley was superb as usual as the first Doctor and yes it would definitely make the TARDIS's day if the Doctor didn't crash her, everytime he regenerates.**

 **jd009**

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 **Chapter 10: The Unquiet Dead - The Walking Dead**

The words, they burned me. But like always there was never enough time to contemplate them as the brown-haired man had caught up to us and pushed his way into our bubble of tension. The Doctor's angry eyes still reflected his angry heart and I am ashamed to admit, for the first time today, I was being a coward and looking for an easy way out of this situation I had brought on myself.

"You're not escaping me, sir, ma'am. What do you know about that hobgoblin, hmm? Projection on glass, I suppose. Who put you up to it?" He asked with a type of determination, that only comes from someone who has caught a scent and was hunting it to its source. I watched as the Doctor's eyes shuttered the more violent emotions behind a wall of steel, as he turned to face the new distraction.

"Yeah, mate. Not now, thanks. Oi, you! Follow that hearse!" He shouted at the driver of the vacant carriage. He seemed to have put aside our argument for now, but I knew like the certainty that the Long Song would keep playing, that this conversation was far from over. He jumped into the carriage and strangely enough looked irritated when I didn't immediately follow him.

"What are you waiting for, a gilded invitation? Get in!" He said. I roused myself from my stupor and gingerly clambered into a seat with all my heavy skirts hindering my movements. The Doctor appeared flummoxed at my quietness and my apparently lack of tart replies, although he couldn't question me further as that irritating brown-haired man shouted at us.

"You can't do that, sir, ma'am!" He yelled flustered. I sighed this man was really starting to be a bother.

"Why not?" The Doctor snapped.

"I'll tell you why not. I'll give you a very good reason why not. Because this is my coach." He blustered. Before the Doctor answered I let my fear talk for me again as I snapped at the man.

"Oh, would you just can it already! If you're not going to be helpful, get in then!" With that I rudely grabbed the man by his waist coat and bodily hauled him into the coach. It was a tight fit with the two men sharing the one seat and I on the other one by myself. The Doctor's brow raised at my actions. I went back to numbly staring at the seat after my outburst.

"Move!" The Doctor shouted to the driver. The driver looked confused at the issued command, but he cracked the whip and the horses started forward.

"Come on, you're losing them." The Doctor urged. The Driver looked back questionly to our uninvited guest.

"Everything in order, Mister Dickens?" He asked, at least the mystery man had a name now. The Doctor though looked thoroughly startled at the name though. I frowned in my confusion, I really had to read up on Earth when I got the chance.

"No! It is not!" Mr Dickens said angrily looking between the both of us.

"What did he say?" The Doctor asked his voice rising in disbelief.

"Let me say this first. I'm not without a sense of humour…" Mr Dickens began but the Doctor interrupted him again still in an apparent state of shock.

"Dickens?" He asked. Now I was beyond confused, apparently the Doctor knew this man.

"Yes." Mr Dickens replied.

"Charles Dickens?" The Doctor was really over doing it now. I could understand curiosity and shock but outright awe? Mr Dickens looked confused and looked over between the Doctor and myself in bewilderment.

"Yes." He replied hesitantly again, as though unsure what the outcome of this entire conversation would be. The Doctor's mood had seemingly done a complete 180 degrees in the last minute alone and it made my head hurt. Besides, I was positive I had seen that name somewhere before.

"The Charles Dickens?" The Doctor all but gushed, I kid you not.

"Should I remove the gentleman and lady, sir?" The driver asked Mr Dickens, but the Doctor's infamous spiel was far from over.

"Charles Dickens? You're brilliant, you are. Completely one hundred percent brilliant. I've read them all. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and what's the other one, the one with the ghost?" The Doctor asked. I was beginning to become overwhelmed with his mercurial mood and pointless prattle.

"Doctor, is there a point to all of this?" I asked. Mr Dickens looked confused when I didn't seem to recognise him. Perhaps he was someone famous on Earth? The Doctor turned his bright smile on me and seemed to forget his anger and mistrust towards me in earlier, in favour of the chance to talk some more.

"The Charles Dickens, Riana! One of the greatest authors on Earth to ever exist." He explained. While that cleared up what he did, I still had no idea who he was. The Doctor must have inferred from my annoyed expression that I was obviously not from _Earth_.

"Right, I forget. Well his work has a lasting impact on Earth's history and he is quite famous throughout the centuries for his novels, and wit of word." He said. It was then when I remembered where I had seen his name before, on a book in my room back on the TARDIS.

"Right…?" I trailed off. Mr Dickens looked awkwardly between us again as though still unsure whether he should answer the Doctor's original question.

"A Christmas Carol?" He asked. The Doctor's shifted his attention back to the other man again.

"No, no, no, the one with the trains. The Signal Man, that's it. Terrifying! The best short story ever written. You're a genius!" The Doctor I kid you not fangirled. I snorted, sometimes, no matter what incarnation, this man was such an idiot.

"You want me to get rid of them, sir?" The Driver asked again. Mr Dickens looked amused by the Doctor's antics now, having judged him not a threat.

"Er, no, I think he can stay." He replied.

"And the lady?" The Driver asked again. I looked up startled. Mr Dicken's looked at me thoughtfully.

"Do you really not know who I am child?" Mr Dickens questioned. I shook my head.

"You might say, that I come from very far away. Another world almost." I replied wistfully. Mr Dicken's appeared to take my statement as an affirmation to his question, although he relaxed significantly when it appeared I wasn't going to harass him or pose a threat.

"Perhaps we can remedy that if we find the time. I also like to educate an enquiring mind and you my dear, I think have a very astute one." He surmised.

"That she does." Was the Doctor's quiet reply. I looked up to meet his reticent eyes and although I knew he was still angry with me, it seemed as though he was going to uphold his end of the bargain to not let it get the best of him again though. A truce of a sorts and I wasn't going to turn it away. So, I instead nodded to acknowledge his sort-of-apology and didn't badger him for anything more. At this point I was thankful for whatever I could take.

"Uh, thank you…I guess." I said slowly. The Doctor meanwhile had turned back to Mr Dickens and was sprouting off more nonsensical verbal dribble by the second.

"Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? I'm such a big fan." He said enthusiastically.

"Knew it." I muttered to myself.

"A what? A big what?" Mr Dickens said bewilderedly.

"Fan. Number one fan, that's me." He said affirmatively.

"Why does that not surprise me? Travel time long enough, you're likely to pick up a few obsessions." I sassed. The Doctor looked like I had poured _rao'wil_ in his _gobjem_ although he wisely chose to ignore me.

"How exactly are you a fan? In what way do you resemble a means of keeping oneself cool?" Charles- for that was far easier to remember than calling him by his last name all the time- asked.

"He means fanatic, someone who is obsessed with something." I said promptly. Charles looked a touch disturbed.

"No, no, it means devoted to. Ignore her she likes to stir the pot. Anyway, I've got to say, that American bit in Martin Chuzzlewit, what's that about? Was that just padding or what? I mean, it's rubbish, that bit." The Doctor rambled. I sighed rolling my eyes.

"Doctor!" I hissed. He looked over at me confused.

"What?" He asked. I jerked my head over to Charles who appeared more reluctant than before to play host to us.

"Shut up. I think it's better to not upset out host." I reminded him.

"I thought you said you were my fan." He said slightly disgruntled. I butted in before he could make a bigger fool of himself and get us thrown out of the only way we had that could save Rose.

"He is, but he really doesn't always think about what comes out of his mouth. Please don't listen to anything he says." I said in a rush. The Doctor looked annoyed at me as he deliberately kept talking.

"Ah, well, if you can't take criticism. Go on, do the death of Little Nell, it cracks me up. No, sorry, forget about that. Come on, faster!" He said, suddenly changing direction once again with his mood.

"Who exactly is in that hearse?" Charles asked.

"Our friend Rose." I replied.

"She's only 19. It's my fault. She's in my care, and now she's in danger." He said deliberately looking away from me. If anything, that made me feel worse, as the guilt of something happening to that kind innocent girl, because of me was nearly to hard to bear.

"Why are we wasting my time talking about dry old books? This is much more important. Driver, be swift! The chase is on!" Charles called as the Driver cracked his whip and the carriage sped up.

"Attaboy, Charlie." The Doctor encouraged.

"Nobody calls me Charlie." Charles said embarrassed.

"The ladies do." The Doctor said cheekily. It was official, he didn't know when to quit.

"How do you know that?" Charles said in alarm.

"Like I said, just ignore him." I reminded him.

"I told you, I'm your number one…" The Doctor began but I cut him off again, before he got his foot stuck in his mouth again.

"…Number One fan, we get it. Now shut up." I finished for him. Charles looked slightly bemused but my actions. Still it got the Doctor to shut up and gave me some space to try and gather my wits, for what was sure to be a shit storm in the making.

As we approached a discreet looking building that the Doctor had helpfully informed us was called a Chapel of Rest, I didn't wait for the Driver to open the door and pushed it open and sprang from the carriage. There were cries of alarm as I could feel the pulsing in the locket increasing with each minute and I knew Rose was in danger. My skirts were in the way has I sprinted towards the front door, with the Doctor and Charles not far behind. As I got there, I touched the locket again and was instantly pulled from body in the usual fashion inside the building to a room where Rose resided.

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 _Both the man and the woman were carrying Rose by the arms and legs up the stairs towards a room at the back of the house. They laid her down on a table that looked like it was used for dead bodies. The thought disgusted me. I could feel my unwanted guest Glory, appear beside me as we both watched the scene unfolding before us._

" _The poor girl's still alive, sir! What're we going to do with her?" The woman asked the snorri man. He looked panicked as though the full weight of his actions had just occurred to him. He wiped his brow with a cloth to get rid of the nervous sweat._

" _I don't know! I didn't plan any of this, did I. It isn't my fault if the dead won't stay dead." He said snappishly to the girl. The girl flinched, and I was starting to get the impression she must be his servant._

" _Then whose fault is it, sir? Why is this happening to us?" The woman asked with fear. Both of them left the room as they entered the hallway, leaving Rose alone in the room, with the body of the dead woman and another young man._

 _I followed them out, continuing to listen to their conversation._

" _I did the Bishop a favour, once. Made his nephew look like a cherub even though he'd been a fortnight in the weir. Perhaps he'll do us an exorcism on the cheap." The man said. Suddenly there was a knocking on the door as the man looked up started and hurried towards the back of the house._

" _Say I'm not in. Tell them we're closed. Just, just get rid of them." The man said to the girl as he scurried away. I was suddenly drawn back into the locked room where Rose resided. I noticed she had begun to awaken, but not before I noticed the eerie blue light come out of the gas lamp and enter the bodies of the dead man and woman and make them open their eyes._

" _ **Hurry, you must hurry Red One if you want to save your friend. Remember what you have seen."**_ _With that statement I was pulled back into my body._

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I gasped as I sagged against the front door. Someone's arm was supporting me and stopped me from toppling over. I looked up surprised to see the Doctor's worried face.

"What is it? What did you see?" He asked urgently.

"I-I saw Rose and the two kidnappers. They have Rose in one of the back rooms and there are these dead people. The gas, Doctor, it's making them walk, we have to hurry!" I said frantically. With that, he knocked urgently on the door, just like I had seen in my vision. Only for the same woman to open it and stare at us frightfully.

"I'm sorry, sir. We're closed." She tried, but I'd had enough of these two imbeciles as I pushed the door open, stopping her from closing it completely.

"Yeah and I fell from the asteroid belt yesterday. You have my friend, let us in!" I demanded.

"Sorry, ma'am but there is no girl here." She tried again.

"How do you know my friend is a girl." I said in her face now. The Doctor restrained me as Charles took over the talking.

"Nonsense. Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master." He said brooking now argument.

"He's not in, sir" She said timidly. I felt for her, I really did, if she had such an awful Master, but Rose was going to die if we didn't get inside, so my sympathy for her was near non-existent as this minute.

"Don't lie to me, child. Summon him at once." Charles said angrily. The girl flinched again and began backing away as again tried to close the door in our faces.

"I'm awfully sorry, Mister Dickens, but the master's indisposed." She said. Just then the gas lamp outside began to flicker and I began to panic.

"Having trouble with your gas?" The Doctor said knowingly as he stared her down.

"What the Shakespeare is going on?" Charles asked now alarmed. I had, had it with these people today. I wasn't going to let an innocent girl die because of my mistake.

"That's it! I've had it with humans today. Move!" I yelled at her as I sent a large telekinetic field of blue energy right at her and the door. The door was near blown off it's hinges and the girl was sent flying down the corridor. I barged past her as the Doctor and Charles looked stunned. The Doctor followed me inside as he went to examine one of the lamps.

"There's something inside the walls. The gas pipes. Something's living inside the gas." The Doctor exclaimed just as I heard Rose scream for someone to let her out. I took off running, nearly bumping into the Undertaker and heading for the room I remembered seeing Rose in.

"Open the door! Please, please, let me out!" Rose screamed as she banged on the locked door. I heard the man try to delay Charles but he simply pushed him out of the way and told him to shut it. The girl was panicking now at how fast things had changed. I had just enough mind to observe that while she was a bit shaken and bruised she wasn't too badly hurt.

"ROSE! I'm here, I need you to stand back." I yelled through the door.

"Riana, is that you? Please you have to help me! There are these things, they're dead, but they're walking!" She yelled.

"I need you to stand back, I'm going to blow this door open. Have you got that?" But she didn't answer me as she began to scream incoherently. Not wasting another second, I risked it and forced the door open with another telekinetic blast.

Rose was being held by the same dead man that I had seen first wake up. Rose was struggling but he was too strong for her and I knew she didn't have long before he killed her. The Doctor had caught up behind me as I created another field and shahked him. It was enough to stun him and I pulled Rose out of the way.

"Don't touch her. I've just about had it with people getting in my way today." I said angrily to the room at large. Rose ran right to the Doctor's side where he urgently checked her over to assess whether she had been injured or not.

"It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence. And whatever you just did is a simple illusion. No one can throw doors with their minds!" Charles exclaimed. I inwardly rolled my eyes at his scepticism. I looked back over to see the Doctor causally observing me as though also checking for injuries as well.

"Do you believe me now? I am here to help you, you can trust me." I said to him. His eyes still remained wary, but I noticed they had softened somewhat.

"No, we're not. The dead are walking." The Doctor replied impishly to Charles. He then turned to Rose and grinned at her. Rose was out of breath, but she looked at him and bashfully returned the smile before turning to me and grinning at me as well. I smiled softly, glad I could save her in the end.

"Hi." The Doctor said to Rose. "Sorry about the late rescue, although it seems Riana is on top of everything as usual." He finished. I rolled my eyes but got into the banter that always flowed so naturally between the Doctor and I.

"Only because you kept obsessing over books and famous authors. Not to mention finding us a lift to get here. Hi Rose, terribly sorry to send you off like that and that I didn't get here faster. But if I had tried to stop the hearse it would have potentially destroyed it and caused a serious accident. Couldn't risk it." I said. Rose smiled gratefully at me.

"Hi. Don't sweat it, I'm just grateful you didn't let me die as always. I don't think that would have been a very nice way to go, being killed by the walking dead. Who's your friend?" She replied with good humour, considering not a minute ago she had nearly died.

"Charles Dickens." The Doctor replied. Rose's eyebrows went up and because she was on an adrenalin high didn't over think it.

"Okay." She said.

"Don't ask, he's always like this, picks up important people like strays." I joked. The Doctor didn't seem to find much humour in it as he told me to behave.

"My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?" He said turning to the still animated corpses.

"As usual he forgets to introduce the rest of us, Riana Tahlay by the way." I said adding unnecessarily.

"Failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us." The man replied with what seemed like many voices at once. With that both the old lady and the young man raised their hands to the roof gave a long mournful wail and dropped to the floor. The blue gas streamed out back into the lamps, as they flickered several times and then returned to normal. Leaving everyone one in the room with expressions of wariness.

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With that, the Doctor quickly rounded on the Undertaker and his maid as he glared at them and dared them to kick us out. With curt words the man ordered Gwyneth, who I learned was the maid's name to make some tea, while the rest of us retired to his parlour. There were several words I wanted to say to that slimeball of a man, whom I learned was called Sneed. I could tell I would have to get in line as Rose appeared as though she wanted to strangle the man.

We all trekked into the parlour where a roaring fire was going and there were several comfortable armchairs. Mr Sneed seated himself in one as did Charles. The Doctor leaned casually against the mantle near the fireplace. I stood near the door as Rose remained standing. I had to feel for Sneed, he looked like he was going to his execution. Gwyneth gave me a wary look as she passed by me and I remembered I had telekinetically thrown her out of the way when I blasted the front door open. I caught her arm as she passed. She flinched but stayed still.

"Miss, I don't mean to be rude, but I need to go and make some tea as my Master has requested." She said politely. I looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry Gwyneth for the way I treated you earlier. It was wrong of me, but you must understand I was trying to save my friend. I wouldn't have done it otherwise." I said softly. She looked away but nodded.

"I understand Miss, sometimes your anger gets the best of you. I know your mother has always feared you because of it, too much like your father she thinks. But you have a strong and loyal heart towards those you care about." She replied. It took me several seconds before I realised what was wrong with her statement. She shouldn't have such knowledge about my family, or my mother's thoughts. It wasn't possible.

"I'm sorry, what?" I said stunned. Realising she had said too much, she gave me a fearful look as she excused herself and left the room. I was left standing there numb. How did she know that my mother had always feared my anger? Did she know what I had done? Did she know my secret?

I was torn from my worries as Rose began to rant at Mr Sneed, while the Doctor only looked on amusedly.

"First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man." She yelled. Sneed looked ashamed and I couldn't help but snort at her gall. The Doctor only sniggered as well.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" Sneed said trying to defend himself, but I wasn't letting him off the hook yet. I stepped forward next to Rose.

"I saw you lock her in there and leave her with the dead things. You wouldn't let us in and you pretended nothing was wrong. You have some explaining to do." I said sternly. Rose rounded on him again with her hands on her hips. We both glared at him and he shrank under our gazes.

"You stuck me in a room full of zombies! And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk! If it hadn't been for my friend here, I would be dead!" She said heatedly. Sneed caved within seconds, glancing between Rose and I as he tried to plead his case. Gwyneth had returned by this point bearing a tray of tea and sandwiches.

"It's not my fault. It's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs, the er… dear departed started getting restless." He said nervously at Charles offended look at his language.

"That still doesn't excuse what you did." I reminded him, Sneed looked away guiltily.

"Tommyrot." Charles suddenly declared. We all turned to look at him in disbelief, tell me he wasn't still seriously thinking that all of this was a hallucination! I mean sure travelling with the Doctor could involve a lot of weird things, but everything was usually explainable and was able to be seen and proved somehow. To think that it was all just a trick was complete _kanwaii._ The Doctor and all that came with him was all too real and if you didn't learn that fast, that's when people started dying.

"You witnessed it. Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps." Sneed replied, mildly offended at being called a liar on top of a pervert. I watched as Charles worked himself up for a good argument, as out of the corner of my eye, Gwyneth placed a cup of tea down on the mantle piece for the Doctor.

"Two sugars, sir, just how you like it." She said cheerfully. The Doctor smiled gratefully at her, although narrowed his eyes in suspicion when she casually mentioned something she shouldn't know.

"One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his own memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned." Mr Sneed continued with his story.

"Morbid fancy." Charles scoffed. I raised both my eyebrows in incredulity at his continued ignorance.

"Oh, Charles, you were there." The Doctor scolded.

"I saw nothing but an illusion." Charles vehemently denied. I walked up towards him and cocked my hip to the side as I placed one of my hands on it. With stern eyes I stared him down.

"So how do you explain my little trick with the door? I suppose you're going to deny that as well too?" I questioned him. Charles paled but still drew himself up in preparation for an argument.

"That was pure coincidence, whoever or whatever you are…" He said trailing off. The Doctor was irritated with the stubborn man and didn't have time for scepticism as he rounded on him with a harsh scolding.

"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up. What about the gas?" He questioned Mr Sneed. I gave Charles a sharp look at his stunned silence.

"Word of advice Mr Dickens, when you're around the Doctor, you better learn to believe real quick. He doesn't tolerate people with closed eyes and narrowed minded thinking." I said sternly to him. Charles swallowed nervously as he looked away from my blue eyes to the ground.

"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that." Mr Sneed said after looking uncomfortably over at Charles after the Doctor's sharp words. But then I shouldn't be surprised, the Doctor today wasn't in the most forgiving mood. Too much anger in his heart. Angry Heart… _Tori'sh_ … I think I had just discovered this new Doctor's name. Strangely enough it fit, I knew he would eventually grow out of it, but until that day, he would be Tori'sh.

"Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through." The Doctor surmised. I was once again thrown for the loop at how quick his mind worked to connect the pieces. Just like putting a glass of water on the ground and then figuring out there was no engine, except how he got from dead people walking, to a rift in presumably time and space, was anybody's guess. It certainly confirmed he was a genius though.

"What's the rift?" Rose asked, drawing my attention away from my internal thoughts.

"A weak point in time and space. A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time." The Doctor explained. As much as I tried to stay out of the excitement of playing detective with the Doctor, it was too hard to resist as I had to add in my own piece.

"But that means, whatever is possessing those bodies is getting through the rift and causing the recently dead to move around as though it were alive. But how is it doing that? It can't be some form of magic…can it? No there is always some sort of explanation, Doctor if I had to guess I would say whatever that blue gas is, is the key. The more important question is who are they and what do they want?" I said eagerly. The Doctor had a strange gleam in his eyes, for the first time today I noticed that he wasn't looking at me with distrust or anger, but a real genuine emotion…respect. It was so unexpected that I floundered to reply, giving Mr Sneed an opening to make a comment.

"That's how I got the house so cheap. Stories going back generations." He said in revelation. I looked up as the door slammed shut behind Charles as he left the room. "Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air, and this feeling like a shadow passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine." He finished, like he was telling some sort of ghost story to a child.

"It's not magic, not at least to my knowledge. But what is magic, but unexplained phenomena. The gas is the key and as to who caused it and what they want, I don't know, but we need to find out." The Doctor replied to me. There was some general chatter amongst the others, as we broke off into several groups to discuss the issue. My attention however was drawn to Charles. I was worried that in our haste and our harsh words we had driven the man off to do something stupid. Glancing around and making sure the others were occupied, I left the room to go and find him.

He wasn't out in the hallway and he wasn't anywhere on this landing, so where was he? Wandering down back towards the room where Rose was held (that was my next best guess, as it did hold the key to this mystery, the dead bodies), I felt a hand on my arm and nearly let out a scream. Another hand clamped over my mouth just in time and pulled me back against a large warm chest. The feel of strange double heartbeats alerted me to who the stranger was that was now manhandling me.

"Shhh." He hushed me sharply as he led me back down the corridor and away from the room into another vacant chamber. He let go of me and shut the door behind him, as he listened for any interrupters and then turned to face me. By this point I was all but glaring at him.

"Seriously! What the Vespin was that about?" I demanded.

"Hush. For one thing I don't need Charles knowing we're watching him, for another I want to know what you're doing? What do you know?" He asked. I looked at him in doubt, was he seriously still thinking that I was out to get him? That I was somehow responsible for this mess that we had found ourselves in?

"Are you out of your mind?" I demanded. The Doctor's unrelenting stare didn't let up, making me feel very uncomfortable.

"Oh c'mon don't play that card. It didn't work last time either. I don't know what that locket of yours is exactly, but I am far from stupid. It lets you know far more about what's going on then the rest of us. All I'm asking is for a bit of advice, you did say you wanted for help did you not?" He said with a tinge of challenge in his voice. I turned around and angrily let out a sound of complete frustration. Why was this man so impossible!

"How many times do you need me to say this, I don't know anymore than you. I have literally known you for less than two weeks! And what I do know, I can't tell you about. Even if I wanted to." I said in a huff.

"I wasn't referring to the future versions of myself that you may have met, Riana. I was asking about what you know of this situation. Why were you coming this way?" He demanded, his arms were crossed over his chest and his stance was challenging. I buried my face in my hands and sighed, before looking up at him.

"I do want to help, Doctor. But you can't always twist everything around, so it works in your favour. I was only trying to make sure our harsh words hadn't led to Charles doing something foolish. I know how much that irritates you. Believe it or not." I said crossing my own arms, to mirror his closed off countenance.

"Who says that I can't? Still, that's all, coming to check up on old Charlie? Nothing else by the wayside in your explorations?" He said. That was it! Rounding on him, I decided to give him a piece of my mind.

"Yes, to help! You, you…suspicious _magulli,_ why can't you believe that? I have done nothing to earn your ire and I'm sorry about your people I truly am, but I would never hurt you deliberately. But even if you are angry at me, we still have a job to do here and whatever might be between us, it can't interfere with this situation." I exclaimed. The Doctor's face became surprised.

"Our job?" He questioned. At his obvious ignorance I groaned. Nobody told me I would have to teach the Doctor how to BE the Doctor. Maybe this was how other versions of the Doctor felt about me.

"Yes, the usual job you do, whizzing around in your little blue impossible box, saving the day and making sure good triumphs over evil etc. 'We never walk away', that's what you always say to me. These people need our help, so that's why I am walking down this corridor in search of someone who might be able to help us. Because it's the right thing to do and because above all, I am trying to help!" I ranted at him, my voice steadily rising in volume. The Doctor's blue eyes pierced me, looking for any signs of duplicity. I know he found none, when his jaw tightened uneasily. He tugged on his ear uncomfortably as he lost some of the hostility in his bearing.

"I see." Was all he said.

"Can't you just believe for one minute that you can trust me, please?" I begged.

"Then tell me what you know." He said. I suppose getting angry at him for not relenting any ground, in favour of blind faith was too much to ask. He was making it clear, that if I wanted him to trust me than I had to offer something for him to believe in.

"Gwyneth." I said.

"What?" He asked, clearly not understanding what I was talking about.

"The maid. She knows things that shouldn't be possible. She said something about my mother to me, that no one should be privy to. She was also the one who knew exactly where the dead woman would be, that's why I got Rose to follow them. I know you know what I'm talking about. She did it with your tea too." I explained. I could see the spark of a mystery lighting up the Doctor's eyes. Something I far too familiar with. With that a strange smile lit up his face. It wasn't completely genuine…but it was a start.

"Yes, I noticed that too." He admitted.

"And Doctor…" I began.

"Yes?"

"The only thing the locket has showed me was Rose being taken here and nearly being killed by those dead people. That's why I blew down the door to get inside and help her. If I hadn't she would've died. I was only trying to make it right." I said with some vulnerability in my voice. I think that was when the Doctor realised that I was still very young and was barely just an adult myself.

"Thank you. Riana…" Now it was his turn to be awkward.

"Yes?" I questioned.

"I'll try harder, to not always take out all my frustrations on you. It still stands what I said earlier today in the TARDIS, sometimes I say things when I'm angry that I don't mean." He said slowly, as though every word was painful to admit.

"Apology accepted Doctor." I said lightly. But his next words reminded me that the usual comradery wasn't there.

"I wasn't apologising. We might have reached an understanding, but that doesn't mean I trust you. That's something that has to be earned." Was his firm reply. My breath hitched slightly, but once I again I reigned my emotions in to deal with them another time.

After that the Doctor had seem to withdraw from his interrogation of me in favour of what I think was his way of avoiding any more disagreements. With a 'let's go see old Charlie' at me he was out of the door and on the move again. I took five seconds to compose myself and set my chin stubbornly. Whatever was going on between the Doctor and myself, it couldn't get in the way of helping these people.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

"Checking for strings?" The Doctor asked, startling Charles out of his investigations of the coffin that contained the previously walking dead man. Charles fumbled and turned around to spot the Doctor leaning casually against the door way with his arms folded and myself just behind him.

"Wires, perhaps. There must be some mechanism behind this fraud." Charles said. I snorted.

"You won't find one." I gently reminded him. The Doctor walked forward, and I followed slowly behind as he approached the stumped man.

"Oh, come on, Charles. All right. I shouldn't have told you to shut up. I'm sorry. But you've got one of the best minds in the world. You saw those gas creatures." The Doctor said emphatically trying to convince him to see what was right in front of his nose. My mouth tightened at the Doctor's easy apology. He trusted this man so easily, but why not me?

"I cannot accept that." Charles denied. With that and getting fed up with being shuffled to the side, I easily created a telekinetic field around Charles himself and very carefully lifted him into the air. The poor man let out a startled cry and floundered around for something to grab onto. The Doctor looked astonished by my display.

"I suppose you're going to deny this?" I questioned him. The Doctor quick to drive the point home continued with his line of reasoning.

"And what does the human body do when it decomposes? It breaks down and produces gas. Perfect home for these gas things. They can slip inside and use it as a vehicle, just like your driver and his coach." He reasoned. Charles obviously getting the point looked beseechingly at me to stop.

"Alright, alright! Stop it. I can see that whatever you are that there is more than my mind has perceived. But I beg you Lady Riana, whatever this magic is, please I beseech you to release me." He said distressed. I gently lowered him to the ground and dissipated the field. His eyes were wild and a touch full of awe. "Can it be that I have the world entirely wrong?" He asked looking lost. Taking pity on him I walked closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Not wrong. There's just more to learn. Trust me, I was much like you two weeks ago." I said softly.

"I've always railed against the fantasists. Oh, I loved an illusion as much as the next man, revelled in them, but that's exactly what they were, illusions. The real world is something else. I dedicated myself to that. Injustices, the great social causes. I hoped that I was a force for good. Now you tell me that the real world is a realm of spectres and jack-o'-lanterns. In which case, have I wasted my brief span here, Doctor, Lady Riana? Has it all been for nothing?" He asked so lost.

"No, you just needed something to remind you what most humans forget, that there is always more to the universe than many have ever dared to dream." The Doctor said almost reverently. Charles I knew was seeing part of the magic the Doctor carried inside of himself, one that a voice in my head reminded me, made him the greatest and most terrible man I would ever meet.

"Perhaps we should all reconvene in the living room, Doctor. Give Charles a chance to catch his breath and maybe process a bit of what we've shown him. I can go find Rose if you like?" I offered. The Doctor eyes sharpened as he raised a brow in question. But he didn't argue, which is what I'm sure he normally would've done.

"A good idea Riana. Charlie, why don't you go and collect Mr Sneed and Riana and myself'll go and collect the others." He said directing Charles back to the parlour where Mr Sneed probably remained. Nodding as the sensible suggestion he went without a fuss.

"Where might you be off to this time?" He asked, a smirk on his face tell me that he wasn't fooled.

"Nothing, it's just I think Rose might be with Gwyneth and I think she might be the key to this issue and how we solve it." I replied. The Doctor nodded thoughtfully at my deductive reasoning.

"After you than m'lady" He said in what could have been slight mockery. Rolling my eyes, I stalked past him. Not knowing where Rose was exactly, I hesitated before deciding to try the ground floor. The Doctor made no comment as I haphazardly led him around. I let out a relieved sigh internally when I heard familiar voices talking, from what I could guess was the kitchen. Hurrying forward, I stopped abruptly when I spotted no one in this room. The Doctor's front hit my back again as he looked over my shoulder.

"Having trouble, Riana. They're over there." He said pointing to a side door that I hadn't noticed before, with soft light come out of it. I looked away sheepishly.

"Thanks." I muttered as we approached the door. The Doctor raised a finger to his lips to silence me when he heard them both talking. We decided to listen in. Gwyneth and Rose were standing slightly apart next to what looked like an ancient sink. They were drying and washing dishes as they talked.

"I swear it is the strangest thing, miss. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild thing. Not to mention that Miss Riana, with her strange colour hair and strange way with words. Almost as though she speaks another tongue." Gwyneth commented.

"Maybe we are. Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your life than Mister Sneed. Riana and I, we try to let lose once in a while not be so uptight." Rose said shrugging.

"Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve." Gwyneth said. Rose looked saddened.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Thank you, miss. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss." Gwyneth said casually again as if it was something that was well known.

"Maybe. Er, who told you he was dead?" Rose said realising something wasn't quite right. Gwyneth noticing her mistake quickly went back to washing up.

"I don't know. Must have been the Doctor." She said lightly. Nope, very unlikely considering the Doctor had been with me most of the night.

"My father died years back." Rose said wistfully. I felt my own mouth tighten as thoughts of my own father surfaced in my mind. I missed him so much it ached sometimes.

"But you've been thinking about him lately more than ever." Gwyneth observed.

"I suppose so. How do you know all this?" Rose demanded.

"Mister Sneed says I think too much. I'm all alone down here. I bet you and Miss Riana have got dozens of servants, haven't you, miss?" Gwyneth asked. They both laughed at her joke.

"No, no servants where I'm from. Don't know about Riana, but I don't think she has any servants either." Rose said.

"And you've come such a long way. Although not as far as the Lady Riana, who has travelled even further than you." She said strangely. I froze next to the Doctor who was listening intently.

"What makes you think so?" Rose questioned.

"You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness, the big bad wolf. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, miss." She said staggering backwards from her in fear. Rose looked alarmed but asked her gently.

"What about Riana?" She asked. Gwyneth nearly collapsed under the onslaught of information that seemed to flash through her eyes. Her breathing sped up and she hunched over slightly.

"So far…so far. Through time and space, itself. Pulled and pushed with no clear direction in sight. So sad, so angry…even her own mother fears her wrath. So lonely, except for the one man that seems to understand, the Doctor. The sun that burns inside, light reaching out. The Heart, the Heart…Red Heart, waiting for the end. Why can't he come back? Why did he leave her alone after he promised her the stars? Born to destroy, born to consume…all the stars…the greatest weapon in the universe. The Red Fire is coming!" She yelled. Her body shook and even Rose looked disturbed. I felt myself gasp. What was that? What red fire? Surely she didn't mean me? I could feel the Doctor tense beside me.

"Gwyneth? It's all right." Rose said consolingly. The poor woman looked a fright.

"I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight. She told me to hide it." Gwyneth explained. The Doctor stepped forward.

"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" The Doctor's voice rang out in the silence, causing both girls to jump. I noticed how the Doctor was carefully avoiding my gaze and how Gwyneth almost looked scared at the sight of me.

"All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head." She said quietly.

"Gwyneth, you're alright." I said.

"You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key." The Doctor said. I looked at him sharply, wondering where he was going with this. I knew that Gwyneth was important, I just hadn't figured out how exactly she fit into solving this mystery, what with her gift of knowing the impossible-unless…the creatures in the rift. If she could communicate with them?

"I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts." Gwyneth stated.

"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do." The Doctor said pleasantly.

"What to do where, sir?" She asked confusion written on her face.

"How to communicate with them." I said.

"We're going to have a seance." The Doctor said with a grin. I knew this might go very badly, but still this might be the only way to figure out why these dead people wouldn't actually stay dead. Gwyneth looked back at the Doctor and me intensely for any signs of deception. But she found none even though Rose looked horrified at the idea.

"Very well sir, ma'am. Where did you want me to do it?" She asked.

"Hang on, you can't actually expect her to do this do you, Doctor, Riana?" Rose questioned. I looked at Rose calmly.

"She has to Rose. Her gifts are the only one's that might be able to help us solve this issue." I said. Rose still looked affronted at the thought. Personally, I didn't blame her.

"Old Charlie has already gone to collect Mr Sneed in the living room, we'll meet them there." The Doctor instructed. Gwyneth nodded before finishing up her chores before leading the way back towards the parlour.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

We sat around the table in the parlour, as Gwyneth had instructed. She sat at the head with the Doctor to her right and, me next to him, Mr Sneed next to me with Rose on Mr Sneed's other side. The room was slightly dimmer to create an almost eerie atmosphere for this séance. The Doctor had explained it was meant to be a ritual on Earth that humans conducted to talk to the dead. I found the practice extremely morbid.

"This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands." She said as she held out her hands for the Doctor to take and towards the empty chair, which was meant for Charles if he would just sit down. Charles looked at the rest of us as though we were mad.

"I can't take part in this." He refused adamantly. I sighed, this man was almost more stubborn than the Doctor when he a point to prove.

"Sure, you can." I encouraged him.

"Humbug? Come on, open mind." The Doctor reminded him. Reluctantly and with no great enthusiasm he sat in the spare chair. We all joined hands, I nearly yanked mine back from Mr Sneeds at its grimy feel. The Doctor's were warm and firm in my own hand. I still hadn't gotten used to the fact that he could change so completely and yet still be the same man. His palms were slightly calloused, although from what I couldn't guess, maybe fixing the TARDIS?

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Seances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing." Charles said flippantly towards Gwyneth who looked slightly hurt by his dismissive words.

"Enough. That was uncalled for." I said sternly to Charles who looked surprised by light scolding.

"Now, don't antagonise her. I love a happy medium." The Doctor said jokingly. I frowned in confusion at the joke not quite understanding why it amused the Doctor. Rose rolled her eyes at his behaviour.

"I can't believe you just said that." She muttered to herself.

"What's a happy medium?" I asked. Both the Doctor and Rose groaned.

"Don't worry 'bout it Riana, I'll tell you later." Rose said.

"Now, Gwyneth, reach out." The Doctor instructed her. I looked up curiously towards where Gwyneth sat, she closed her eyes and seemed to focus inwards.

"Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden." Gwyneth said out loud as, Charles rolled his eyes in obvious cynicism. Suddenly we all looked around as whispering seemed to fill the air.

"By the Light of Akhaten. It actually works, how strange." I murmured. The Doctor gave me a raised brow at my delight.

"Can you hear that?" Rose said. I nodded, our glances met and we shared a nervous smile.

"Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly." Charles stated. I gave him a look to shut up.

"Look at her." Rose demanded. Charles' gaze drifted to the servant girl who was so very obviously in some sort of trance. The room seemed to become filled with blue light that swirled above our heads.

"I see them. I feel them." Gwyneth said.

"What's it saying?" Rose asked.

"I'm not sure, Rose." I answered.

"They can't get through the rift. Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through." The Doctor said urgently. Gwyneth focused harder and suddenly the light seemed to take the form of a vague humanoid with flowing hair. At the same time a deep menacing pulse came from the locket and it glowed an alarming red. I gasped as several heads turned towards me.

" _ **Danger! Little blue queen, danger!**_ " Whispered the locket. Whatever was going on it wasn't good. But I couldn't stop it now, we were too far in. We needed those answers, but not at the cost of potentially Gwyneth's life.

"Doctor! You have to get her to stop, whatever is happening it's bad." I said urgently. The Doctor's eyes met mine, but he shook his head.

"Not now Riana, we're nearly there. Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link." He answered back.

"I can't!" She cried out. Rose encouraged her as well and finally it seemed as though the link was made. As Gwyneth began to speak at the same time the figures above her did, in their ghostly childish voices.

"Great God! Spirits from the other side." Mr Sneed cried out.

"The other side of the universe." The Doctor said firmly. It started to make more sense.

"Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us." They spoke. I felt shivers run down my spine at the ominous feeling I was getting from the locket, something wasn't right.

"What do you want us to do?" The Doctor asked.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge." The Gelth instructed.

"What for?" I demanded them, not willing to let go of the warning I had been given.

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction." The Gelth replied. I felt my face pale and my eyes widen. The Doctor's angry eyes met mine, as if to once again hammer home, that it was me that was responsible for the destruction of his race.

"Why, what happened?" He questioned. I remained silent.

"Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came." The Gelth continued.

"War? What war?" The Doctor asked.

"The Time War. The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away under the Red Fire. We're trapped in this gaseous state." They explained. I looked up sharply at this information and in particular at how Rose and the Doctor shared a glance.

"So that's why you need the corpses." The Doctor deduced.

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us." The Gelth said sorrowfully. I felt myself almost moved by their plea. Rose looked horrified at the mere mention of such a suggestion. Maybe humans had particular taboos against such uses of their cadavers.

"But we can't." Rose said.

"Why not?" The Doctor looked harshly at Rose. At least I wasn't the only one on the receiving end of that look.

"It's not. I mean, it's not…" She trailed off helplessly.

"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives." The Doctor said angrily.

"Hey! Don't talk to her like that. I also agree with Rose." I said firmly. The Doctor's glare turned to me.

"You would put the dead above the living?" he asked in almost utter distrust.

"No. But she might have different customs than what you do. I just am not completely convinced of their motives." I reminded him gently.

"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth." The Gelth said before they gave an eerie cry and they were sucked back into the gas lamps around us. Gwyneth fell forward onto the table from the stress of maintaining the connection. Rose rushed forwards to help her.

"Gwyneth?" Rose called frantically. I rose as well to help her lift the girl onto a lounge not far away, so she might be more comfortable when she awoke. I could vaguely hear Charles mutter to himself about this all being true in the back ground. The Doctor however remained silent as he watched Rose and me.

Some time past, and the excitement of the evening died down as everyone made themselves comfortable, as we deliberated over our next course of action. Rose attended to Gwyneth as Mr Sneed stared forlornly off into the distance. Charles had taken up residency at the mantle piece and the Doctor leaned nearby.

I couldn't help but wonder what the outcome of all of this was going to be? The locket had warned me that there was danger involved, yet when wasn't there? The Doctor was being too stubborn to be reasoned with, not to mention the fact he didn't trust me in this form. Rose was caught up in her human sentiments and unfortunately, I couldn't help but be slightly swayed by the plight of the Gelth. It was our duty to help these people, but what if it wasn't just them, but the last of a species as well. I don't think my conscious could live with the knowledge of another dead race at my hands.

"It's all right. You just sleep." Rose's murmur brought my attention to the fact that Gwyneth was awake again.

"But my angels, miss. They came, didn't they? They need me?" Gwyneth said. We all roused ourselves to listen in. The Doctor came closer as he watched on.

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance of survival." The Doctor informed her softly. Rose glared up him. I sighed seeing a fight brewing.

"I've told you, leave her alone. She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles. Drink this." Rose said angrily as she helped Gwyneth sit and drink a cup of tea. I came closer and placed my hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Doctor, perhaps we could discuss this elsewhere. You can't force Gwyneth into this and Rose you need to remember that they could be the last of their species. If we don't help them, then they're going to die." I said resolutely to her. The Doctor only leaned his head against the wall and sighed.

"I thought you said you were on my side?" Rose accused. I shook my head.

"I never said that Rose, only that I didn't think that the Gelth were being entirely honest. There is still a danger here, by we also have a duty to help them if we can." I reminded her.

"Well, what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again. What are they?" Mr Sneed spoked up in the silence.

"Aliens." The Doctor said causing me to glance up and meet his intense blue eyes. However, it wasn't just the Gelth that didn't belong on this world, but the Doctor and myself as well.

"Like foreigners, you mean?" Mr Sneed questioned.

"Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there." The Doctor said raising a finger to the roof.

"Brecon?" Mr Sneed said not quite getting it.

"Close. And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes." The Doctor said.

"Like Miss Riana, she is one of these foreigners too." Charles said astutely. Rose and the Doctor both froze. I glanced up to meet his eyes, Charles wasn't afraid this time, just curious.

"What makes you say that?" I asked him.

"For one thing, no human being I've ever seen has hair that colour. For another you have those strange powers, something that no ordinary person should be able to do. You said you were from very far away earlier. This has all but led for me to determine, you are like these Gelth." He said.

"What is wrong with my hair?" I muttered somewhat sulkily. The Doctor rolled his eyes at my comment.

"Yes. You are correct Riana is also not from here. But she's a different type of alien to them." The Doctor calmly explained.

"I won't hurt you." I said to Charles. He nodded.

"I know. But these Gelth they need the girl because they can't get through." He said.

"They're not having her." Rose said firmly. I gave her a stern look.

"Rose." I reminded her.

"But she can help. Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through." The Doctor tried to get Rose to see. I knew Rose wasn't having any of it. Her beliefs were too rigid.

"Incredible. Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers." Charles exclaimed in excitement. Rose however got up and stalked over to the Doctor and myself.

"Good system. It might work." The Doctor said impressed.

"You can't let them run around inside of dead people!" Rose said. I gave her a sympathetic look even as the Doctor's eyes narrowed.

"Why not? It's like recycling." The Doctor said callously.

"Seriously though, you can't." Rose said in desperation.

"Seriously though, I can." He reiterated.

"It's just wrong. Those bodies were living people. We should respect them even in death." Rose yelled. I had never seen the Doctor yell at Rose like this. I was so used to him being annoyed at me.

"Do you carry a donor card?" The Doctor asked. Whatever a donor card was it seemed to stump Rose's argument.

"That's different, that's..." Rose spluttered.

"It is different, yeah. It's a different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying." He yelled at her.

"Hey! That's enough, both of you. Doctor she comes from a different culture than you, just like I do. You can't force her to change in a second, even if I can see your point she at least deserves some explanation. Not a complete derogatory rundown of why she is stupid. Rose, while I can respect your opinion, the Doctor is right. Even if he is horrible at saying it politely, the Gelth are dying and even though respecting the dead is important, they are dead. We can't let a whole species die just to satisfy some of your cultural beliefs, that's not right." I said breaking up the argument. Rose looked affronted but looked away from me sadly. I knew she could see the wisdom in my words.

"Doctor, please I know it's hard for you, but could you please try to be a bit more respectful when dealing with people today?" I asked of him imploringly. He looked away as well but nodded.

"I don't care. They're not using her." Rose said stubbornly. I sighed and was about to try a different method when Gwyneth spoke up.

"Don't I get a say, miss?" Gwyneth said solemnly.

"Look, you don't understand what's going on." Rose tried to reason with her, but I could already tell that her mind was made up, she would help her 'angels' to whatever cost.

"You would say that, miss, because that's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid. I know you are trying to help Miss Riana, that you are concerned for my safety and the integrity of my angels, but I want to help them." She said to both of us. Rose looked embarrassed at her statement.

"That's not fair!" Rose cried.

"Rose she is right, she can make up her own mind and we don't have the right to stop her." I said reluctantly. Now Rose was glaring at me again in betrayal.

"It's true, though. Things might be very different where you're from, but here and now, I know my own mind, and the angels need me. Doctor, what do I have to do?" Gwyneth asked the Doctor resolutely. I looked down at the floor with a feeling of dread filling my stomach.

"You don't have to do anything." The Doctor said gently.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission. So tell me." She said firmly. The Doctor looked tired, but he stood up and with a tight jaw told her.

"We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?" The Doctor stated as he turned towards Mr Sneed.

"That would be the morgue." Mr Sneed said. That feeling of dread just doubled.

"Of course, it would be." I said just as Rose murmured to herself, "No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?." With that we all trudged out of the room as Mr Sneed lead us down a corridor towards the back of the house and down a flight of stairs, into a very dreary cold room, full of dead bodies, covered in sheets.

"Urgh. Talk about Bleak House." The Doctor muttered to no one in particular. I snorted.

"And here I was thinking you were into the most disturbed places for 'fantastic' adventures." I said to him jokingly. He strangely enough quirked a smile at my comment.

"The thing is, Doctor, Riana, the Gelth don't succeed, 'cos I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869." Rose stated matter of factly.

"Time's in flux, changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that. Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing." He said in reply as he randomly clicked his fingers to show his point. The last part was aimed at me as he gazed intensely into my eyes. I bit my lip, but avoided saying anything.

"Doctor, I think the room is getting colder." Charles observed. I didn't notice it particularly as I was all but immune to the cold compared to the humans. However, I did notice that I felt a strange hollowness in my chest and the locket was pulsing weirdly.

"Here they come." Rose cautioned as blue light filled the room and coalesced under an archway.

"You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him." The Gelth said again in the voice of a child. A whisper of an echo sounded in my head; _**danger.**_ I knew I had to be vigilant and wary.

"Promise you won't hurt her." Rose pleaded with the alien being.

"Hurry! Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth." They said.

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?" The Doctor said. I glanced at him in respect, he really had listened to Rose and wouldn't see the customs of the humans interrupted.

"Thank you." I said to him.

"Don't think anything of it. You were right by the way. It's not fair for me to expect Rose to change immediately, she is only human after all." He said.

"What about me Doctor? I'm only Zell after all, can't I be forgiven for making mistakes sometimes as well?" I asked. His eyes met mine and softened.

"We'll talk about this later." He said.

"My angels. I can help them live." Gwyneth said as she walked forward anxiously.

"Okay, where's the weak point?" The Doctor asked.

"Here, beneath the arch." The Gelth said. Gwyneth walked over and stood within the Gelth under the arch. We all looked on in apprehension.

"You don't have to do this." Rose pleaded again. I put a hand on her shoulder in support.

"My angels." Gwyneth sung.

"Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void. Let us through!" The Gelth said. The feeling of dread in my stomach tripled.

"Doctor, something isn't right…" I trailed off as Gwyneth opened her mouth and a red light seemed to explode out of her.

"It is begun. The bridge is made." The Gelth said as the mirage they had been using grew sharp teeth and their blue light turned to red fire. The locket responded with its own light that seemed to come out of it container and illuminated me eerily. The Gelth screamed.

"She has given herself to the Gelth. The bridge is open. We descend." They shouted. We all stumbled back in horror as we realised our mistake.

"The Gelth will come through in force. We shall descend and destroy the Red Fire that took our bodies and ravaged our forms. The keeper of the Heart will be consumed. She shall join the legions of the dead!" They yelled. I gasped in fright as all the people in the room turned to look at me.

"You said that you were few in number." Charles exclaimed.

"A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses." The Gelth said. Suddenly the blue light was entering the dead bodies and just like earlier they began to rise. I reacted on instinct and threw up several fields to ward them off.

"Gwyneth, stop this. Listen to your master. This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg of you…" Mr Sneed said in fear, just as a corpse behind him grabbed his neck and snapped it. I screamed.

"No!" I yelled. Even as we were forced back, my force field wavered as the dead thrust themselves against it.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong." The Doctor said stupidly. I wanted to smack him, could he really think of nothing cleverer to say right when we were about to die.

"You think!" I said to the Doctor, just as Mr Sneed stood back up deathly pale with those haunting unnatural blue eyes.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come, march with us." The now possessed body of Mr Sneed said. I looked over to where Charles was standing a little way from us, he was panicking and was backing away as he looked on in fright. No, we couldn't lose any more people, we needed everyone we could get to beat this thing.

"No." Charles murmured looking at me in fear.

"We need bodies. All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead. "The Gelth said as they advanced in horrifying numbers against my shields. The Doctor was looking at Gwyneth now as our last hope to stem the seemingly unending stream of them. So many dead and they were all walking.

"Gwyneth, stop them! Send them back now!" The Doctor ordered, but the girl was too far gone. By now the Doctor turned to me as he knew I was our last hope from letting the legion of dead bodies adding us to their army.

"Riana? You better not let those fail." He said frantically. But it was really difficult to maintain my concentration what with the amount of dead piling against it and Charles was moving further and further out of range. Sweat began to bead on my forehead, as my arms shook from the effort of keeping the blue fields up. They flickered dangerously, and I growled back at the Doctor.

"I'm trying Doctor, I'm not sure about you and Rose, but I don't really want to join the armies of the living dead thanks. I like myself just as I am." I sassed back. Rose laughed hysterically.

"That's funny, really. But seriously are those going to hold?" She asked. By now were all but backed up against a metal barred door. Charles' field was extremely weak, as he was almost at the stairs and all my concentration was on keeping the Doctor, Rose and myself safe.

"Four more bodies. Convert them. Make them vessels for the Gelth." The Gelth spoke simultaneously.

"Doctor, Miss Riana, I can't. I'm sorry. This new world of yours is too much for me. I'm so…" With that he fled the room. No! He couldn't leave, he was braver than this I know he was, he was so clever and his mind as the Doctor had exclaimed was brilliant. How dare he and here I was wasting part of my precious reserves of energy shielding him. The Doctor realising that we were out of options opened the metal barred door and shoved Rose inside before turning towards me. His hand was firm on my arm as he dragged me backwards. I fought him, still determined to prove that I could get us out of this.

"No, we can beat this. If I just hold them off a bit longer I can probably get us out of here." I declared hotly. The Doctor's eyes were sympathetic but hard as he pulled me in behind them. The field I was holding flickered than died as we found ourselves locked in, with nothing barring their way but a metal door, the dead surged forward.

I found myself turning to the Doctor angrily.

"Why did you do that? I know I could have found a way to stop them! Now Charles might be dead." I yelled. The Doctor's eyes were sad, but there was steel glint in them.

"Not at the cost of anymore lives. I don't need anymore stupid heroics. Plus, Charles has fled, there is nothing we can do about it anymore. Those fields of yours can only hold them off so long before they fail. Even if we did escape we still would have the minor issue of the billions of Gelth pouring through the rift. We have no way to stop it. So don't be stupid!" He yelled, and I was shocked to find that he was afraid, not just of the situation but for me.

"Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth." The Gelth spoke. The Doctor turned to them as he backed all of us up against the far wall of our little alcove, we were apparently doomed to die in.

"We trusted you. We pitied you!" The Doctor yelled.

"We don't want your pity. We want this world and all it's flesh." They declared, my anger flared as I used a large blast of power to throw them all back.

"Yeah, we'll you'll have to kill me first!" I challenged.

"Riana, I don't really think that is helping." Rose said desperately, as all my blast had done was allow more room for the others to surge forward and take their place.

"Then live no more." The Gelth said.

"But I can't die. Tell me I can't. I haven't even been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?" Rose said turning to stare at the Doctor and me in desperate hope. I knew that time could change, the Doctor had told me as much in the future, but I still couldn't see how if he died here, how I could meet him in the future.

"I'm sorry." Was all he said, looking at Rose in sorrow.

"But it's 1869. How can I die now?" Rose whispered.

"Time isn't a straight line. It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth and it's all my fault. I brought you here." He said.

"No, it isn't. It's my fault as well Doctor. If I hadn't told Rose to follow them, then we would never have been drawn into this mess." I said gravely. The Doctor's blue eyes turned to look at me in another light.

"Don't say that. If I hadn't been so horrible to you today and trusted you enough to listen, when you warned me that we shouldn't have opened the rift, then everything might have been different. You were right Riana. Just like always and I am ashamed to admit that I hate it. That I don't like it when other people are cleverer than me." He said in earnest. I had all but gaped at him, that the fact that the Doctor seemed to be admitting he was wrong happened as often as the Festival of Offerings.

I knew an _uuta_ branch when I saw one. "But, I have already seen future versions of you, Doctor, that means we live through this." I said to try and reassure them both. Rose seemed to perk up, but the Doctor killed that thought with three words.

"Time can change." He reminded us. Rose seemed to turn to me as though asking me to produce another miracle, to contradict the Doctor's words. First with Martha now with Rose? Why did all his companions look to me for direction and possibilities for saving the day? I had learned my lesson from last time, I wouldn't give up so easily this time. Rose seeing my lack of answer looked down by gritted her teeth in some semblance of a smile.

"It's not either of your faults. I wanted to come. I guess I never thought I die like this." She said trying to inject some gallows humour into her statement.

"What about me? I saw the fall of Troy, World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party. Now I'm going to die in a dungeon in Cardiff." The Doctor said taking up her humour. I huffed even as I tried not to snort at both their attitudes. C'mon, c'mon, surely this wasn't how we all died. I had met other versions of the Doctor, Amy and Martha, those bright individuals who were my friends. This couldn't be how I ended. The Gelth were pushing against the gate still stinking up the place with their horrible hard to breathe gas…gas!

My eyes widened as the memory rushed over me.

 _The small bloated gas filled kuaki floundered around before me in its tank. My small 12-year-old hands were pressed firmly against the glass as I watched with curious eyes. A presence behind me alerted me to the fact I wasn't alone in the room._

" _Are you conducting an experiment little Keldosa?" A deep man's voice spoke from behind me. I turned to see the familiar and much-loved face of my Papa._

" _Why won't he float, Papa? I tried giving him more gas but he just bobs up and down and then falls." My high-pitched voice said. He hmmed as lent over to glance at the settings on the tank. Then a small knowing smile lit up his face._

" _What have I taught you about how this particular species floats?" He asked in his usual lecturing voice. My small eyes lit up._

" _They use amoonium gas that is very light, lighter than the surrounding atmosphere." I said very eager to please. He nodded._

" _Yes, but how do they take the gas in?" He asked._

" _They use a form of osmosis, net movement of amoonium particles to a higher concentration than what's outside of them. They take it from the atmosphere." I said._

" _Very good my clever little Keldosa. Now what do you think would happen if say the gas concentration was higher on the outside than the inside?" He asked. I gasped, now seeing my error._

" _The gas particles would be sucked out back into the atmosphere, unable to stay inside, so it could maintain its buoyancy in the atmosphere causing it sink. There is too much gas in the tank Papa!" I exclaimed. His laugh could be heard from out on the street as it caused me to join in._

They were gas! There might just be a way to get out of this alive, but I was still stuck inside this cage and I had no way to physically see where all the gas lamps were, let alone turn them on all with just telekinesis, but there was someone who might be able to. Hopefully I wouldn't be too late.

"It's not just dying. We'll become one of them." Rose said despondently. I made a noise of irritation.

"Alright the both of you, hush, I have to concentrate if this is going to work." I said more to myself than them. Both of them turned to look at me as if I were mad.

"Riana?" Rose queried. But I had already closed my eyes and drawn the locket out, the eerie red light hadn't abated and filled the room. The bodies flinched back as if struck. I of course didn't notice all of this trying to focus on making myself transport to Charles. I could feel the familiar tingling beneath my skin from my hitchhiker friend Glory, as if she seemed to be directing me. With an almost queasy feeling, I was yanked from my physical body and pushed through several walls and out onto the street where Charles was being chased by one of the gas creatures.

DWDWDWDWDDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

 _I looked around to take in my surroundings, hoping that this time it would actually work, that I would be physical enough to interact with the world around me._

" _Charles!" I shouted. Sure enough the man came to a grating halt and spun around to stare at me. He spotted the Gelth following him the same time I ran up and pushed him further out of the way then the Gelth could reach. Just as I predicted the creature wailed and was sucked back into the street light. The concentration of gas was too high, and it couldn't maintain its form._

" _Failing! Atmosphere hostile!" The Gelth said before it went abruptly silent. I turned back to help Charles stand up, surprised that I could actually interact with someone for a change. He was looking in fear at me. I gave him a sympathetic glance, completely understanding his feelings._

" _Th-thankyou, Miss Riana. You saved me from whatever that creature was." He stammered. But while I wanted to console him, I didn't have time._

" _Look, I'm not here to yell at you or anything for running away. I know why you did it. Being with the Doctor and having him expect you to just get it right away, without letting you breathe or question anything. Being made to be better than you have ever been before, without even knowing you could do it…believe me I get it. But I need your help Charles. Innocent people are going to die. The Doctor and Rose and maybe all your race." I said in a rush, pleading with him to understand. Charles swallowed. I knew he was a good man, that he wouldn't just let all these people die. But he was just so scared and didn't know how to be brave._

" _Why can't you? How did you get away? I mean its all well and good to write about heroes, but to be expected to be one? I'm an old man as it is, it isn't right to admit to cowardice when even young women are braver than you." He said. I came closer and placed my hand on his shoulder._

" _I'm asking you to be brave Charles. Someone once said to me, being brave isn't feeling no fear, it's feeling the fear and choosing to act anyway. I can't do it because I'm with them, I can't explain it right now, there's not enough time. But I have a way to beat them. I just need you to carry it out." I said firmly with challenge in my eyes. Charles seemed to debate it but eventually nodded._

" _You are indeed very good with words and very astute as well young lady. What do you need me to do?" He asked. I pointed to the street lamp._

" _Did you see how the creature was sucked back into the lamp." I continued when he nodded. "It's because they can't maintain their form when there is too much gas in the atmosphere. It becomes like a magnet pulling them back to the highest concentration of gas. I need you to flood the house with gas. Turn off all the flames in the lamps and let the gas do its work. Can you do that?" I asked._

" _I think so. Ingenious thinking, suck them out like poison from a wound." He said, suddenly filled with determination and excitement. I smiled at him as I could feel myself being pulled back to my body, my sense of danger warning me that I was in trouble again._

" _I have to go now, but I know you can do it. When you reach the count of 150, I need you to have reached the morgue." I half yelled as I was pulled back into my body._

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

I could feel the drop in my energy almost immediately as I returned. I stumbled and nearly sank to the floor. Rose and the Doctor looked confused at my behaviour, perhaps not much time had passed. I looked up as I realised the door was groaning on its hinges.

"Where did you go?" The Doctor demanded.

"Need to know." Was my prompt reply. The Doctor and Rose looked at each other, as if sharing some secret languages only they knew. I tried not let that bother me again.

"We'll go down fighting, yeah?" Rose said bravely towards the Doctor and me.

"Yeah." He replied, still gazing at me with curiosity.

"Riana?" Rose asked. I shook my head.

"Not if I can help it. I don't plan on dying today!" I declared. The Doctor huffed, as if determining I was mad finally.

"Fine suit yourself." He said somewhat angrily. I couldn't tell them yet that everything was going to be alright, because everything depended upon Charles Dickens to follow through with my plan and if he failed, then we really all would die.

"Together?" Rose said. Looking back at the Doctor.

"Yeah." He answered again and before I could get a word in edge wise they held hands. I looked away, still counting in my head, building up my strength and concentration. I had to time it just right.

"I'm so glad I met you." The Doctor suddenly said, nearly causing me to choke out a gasp. Rose was looking at him as if he were Akhaten himself come to life.

"Me too. Both of you." Rose said as she still gazed longingly into the Doctor's eyes. Just then I reached the count of 149 as Charles came bursting down the stairs. When he spotted me he smiled. The Doctor was clearly surprised as he I'm sure he had given Charles up for good.

"Riana! Riana! Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room, all of it, now! It's just as you said, it's working!" He yelled excitedly. As he looked around beginning to notice all the Gelth were losing some of their control. I smiled at him happily. The Doctor was looking at me as though realising I hadn't given up hope.

"What're you doing?" He asked perplexed. I couldn't help but grin a bit smugly.

"What I told him too. Osmosis at it's best." I said with great satisfaction.

"Turn it all on. Flood the place!" Charles added. I could see when my plan clicked in the Doctor's mind. He turned around and pulled me into a tight hug. Eyes sparkling with mischief and a touch of remorse.

"I'm sorry for doubting you." He said. I shrugged half-heartedly, trying not to blush. Rose however wasn't following along. The Doctor pulled away as he faced Charles again.

"What, so we choke to death instead?" Rose said horrified. I turned back towards her.

"No, Rose. Don't you see, it's just like my Father said. It's all about net concentration. There's this species called a kuaki where I come from. I had one as a pet. They float by drawing in gas from outside of themselves in the atmosphere, by relying a process called osmosis. Once I flooded the tank with too much of this gas and it couldn't float. It was because the concentration of gas outside of itself was so high that it was pulling all of the gas inside of itself out. So now assume we have a species that is entirely gas and we flood the outer atmosphere with lots of the same gas, what happens?" I said excitedly.

"It'll draw them out of the host. Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!" The Doctor said. Rose was smiling now as she was finally caught up. Charles had got all the gas lamps in this room and was slowly backing away, as the bodies turned away from us towards him.

"I hope, oh Lord, I hope that this theory will be validated soon, if not immediately." He said staring at me in fear again. I nodded, now was the time. With that I sent a large burst of telekinesis out towards the door and it was blown off it's hinges. At the same time, I rushed back and ripped out a pipe from the wall and let more of the gas come out.

"Watch and be amazed my friend!" I shouted as the Gelth screamed and were sucked out of the bodies, causing them to drop like _zoon._

"It's working." Charles said. The Doctor rushed out and we followed closely behind him towards Gwyneth in the arch.

"Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels." The Doctor said trying to reason with her. Gwyneth looked up and seemed surprised to see us.

"Liars?" She asked simply. I came up to where the Doctor was standing next to her.

"Look at us. If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!" I said. She looked into my eyes, but I could see the struggle there. Rose began to cough behind me and I realised the poisoned gas was now filling the room, even as we lingered. I could feel it seeping into my lungs, even as I fought the reflex to cough. The Doctor as usual, appeared unaffected but such trivialities.

"I can't breathe." Rose said.

"Charles, get her out." The Doctor ordered, but Rose wasn't having any of it. Rushing forward to where we were standing, even as she chocked to death.

"I'm not leaving her." She said firmly. I huffed in irritation, trying not groan in exasperation at her stubbornness.

"They're too strong." Gwyneth said finally distracting me from replying.

"Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift." The Doctor said. I coughed as the gas started to make me slightly light headed. While Zell were better at surviving with less oxygen than some species, toxic gas wasn't especially conducive to living.

"Gwyneth, you have to try, so many people both here now and in the future won't be born, they'll die. I know you have the strength to do it, please?" I begged of her. The girl suddenly looked annoyed as she firmly met out eyes.

"I can't send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here. Get out. Please ma'am, you have so much you need to do and if you don't survive so many will die. You have to help him!" Gwyneth said suddenly. Her voice taking on that eerie prophetic tone, when she was seeing the future. She reached into her apron and pulled a little rectangular box of something. When Rose saw she it, she became hysterical. The Doctor seemed shocked, but he smiled slightly at her.

"You can't!" Rose screamed. Charles had grabbed her though and was dragging her towards the door. The Doctor was also trying to force me to go as well. But I wouldn't leave him alone, I had made a promise and I would see it through.

"Rose! You have to go!" I yelled at her. She seemed shocked by my shout, but looked pleadingly at the Doctor.

"Leave this place!" Gwyneth said.

"Rose, get out. Go now. I won't leave her while she's still in danger. Now go!" Rose looked once more at the Doctor and me before she allowed Charles to drag her away up the stairs, coughing the whole way. "You too, Riana." The Doctor said. I glared at him.

"Not a chance, Tori'sh. I made a promise and I intend to keep it, no matter how much of a pain in the ass you are to deal with at times." I said doggedly. The Doctor seemed to glare at me, but by this point it didn't have near the effect he wanted. Somehow, I also knew he was glad he didn't have to face this alone.

"On your own head then. Now give that to me." He said holding his hand for the box. I had a feeling the Doctor was going to do something foolish.

"Doctor, what is that? You aren't going to sacrifice yourself, are you?" I demanded. But he ignored me as he waited for Gwyneth to respond, but she didn't. I looked up when a voice whispered in my head. _**Dead**_ _._ I suddenly tugged on the Doctor's arm turning him to face me. I shook my head as a tear ran down my cheek.

"She's not coming Doctor…it's too late." I whispered. His eyes widened, but he turned back around to place his hand against the side of her throat to feel her pulse. I knew what he had found; nothing. With that, the Doctor leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm sorry." He said. Gwyneth smiled slightly, even as I coughed again.

"Thank you, for everything. I promise we won't forget this." I said. With that the Doctor grabbed my hand and pulled me choking and spluttering behind him as we ran for the stairs and the exit. I couldn't stop the tears that ran silently down my face. Gwyneth was already dead, and we couldn't save her.

The house exploded behind us just as we reached the door. I realised she had been carrying strikers. My heavy skirts kept causing me to trip and as soon as we were clear the Doctor threw himself forward and covered me. I felt the air woosh out of my lungs at his heavy weight on top of me as the heat and debris from the explosion filled the air. The Doctor rolled off me as he sat up and met the eyes of Rose and Charles who were watching the burning house. The Doctor slowly stood to his feet and helped me up. Rose's eyes moved between the Doctor's solemn blue eyes and the tears falling from mine. She seemed so innocent then, as if asking why we couldn't save Gwyneth when we had promised.

"She didn't make it." Rose said brokenly. I limped forward as I took her hands in mine, squeezing them slightly.

"I'm sorry Rose. There was nothing we could do." I said sorrowfully. She sniffed, but nodded.

"She closed the rift." The Doctor added. Charles looked at the burning house in pity.

"At such a cost. The poor child." Charles said.

"We did try, Rose, but Gwyneth was already dead. She had been for at least five minutes." The Doctor explained. Rose looked shocked, as if the thought of walking dead people was new today.

"What do you mean?" She said.

"I think Gwyneth was dead, from the moment she allowed the Gelth through the arch." I said softly. Rose dropped my hand as we all turned to watch the fire burn in the chilly night air.

"But she can't have. She spoke to us. She helped us. She saved us. How could she have done that?" Rose asked. I wasn't sure that I could ever answer that question. Why did certain things happen in our lives that turned them upside down? Why did my father leave me and my mother? When it had been his lesson that had saved us today, why did I end up meeting the Doctor, a man that defied explanation? Some things just were and we had to accept them and move on otherwise we would never be able to live.

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Even for you, Doctor. Or you Lady Riana, faery from the stars". Charles said wisely. I bit my lip, to keep from sniffling. This day had been a long and extremely trying one. It felt like I was right back at the beginning of meeting the Doctor, raw, numb and in so many ways alive for the first time ever in my life. But it was Rose that summarised what we were all feeling, in the end.

"She saved the world. A servant girl. No one will ever know." Rose said softly. I shook my head.

"We will. For as long as well all shall live. My Mama, always said that as long as you carry that memory in your heart, it will never truly be gone. There is always something left of us in everything we touch, be that people or places." I replied. Rose smiled at me in gratitude. The Doctor's eyes were watching me closely as we all eventually decided to leave. It was too painful to remain where were and also too risky at the authorities finding us and being arrested. So we left, as if we had never even been there.

The carriage had long departed, so Charles accompanied us back down the main street as I assumed we were heading back to the TARDIS. As we were passing the theatre again, I had a strange realisation. I had one of these man's books, but where had I gotten it from?

"Hey Charles, I have a small request to make…" I said. All of my companions turned to look at me strangely. The Doctor's brow quirked.

"You might say, I'm something of a newbie coming to Earth and all. Could I have one of your books, signed if I could." I asked him. He looked at me strangely, but then smiled.

"I'll see what I can do Lady Riana, for you I will try." He said. I grinned.

"Fantastic." I said.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

One signed book later, called Oliver Twist, we made our way back to the TARDIS. It was just as we left it, sitting quietly in the alleyway, snow piled up around it. We were the only things that had really changed since we had left. The Doctor was less angry with me and Rose was much more solemn and myself, well I was still processing everything. When I had woken up this morning, it had been to the thought of a relaxing day at a spa, not dealing with angry Time Lords who blamed me for the destruction of their people, or famous authors who needed to be encouraged to be brave, or young girls finding out about the dangers of the world, or servant girls who died saving the world. A lot of things really, like masses of dead people walking around the place. But then again, this was really becoming the norm for my days. I just wanted to change from this ridiculous dress into something much more comfortable and rest without the prying eyes of the Doctor on me for once.

"Right then, Charlie boy, I've just got to go into my, er, shed. Won't be long." The Doctor said trying to be blasé about what the TARDIS exactly was. It certainly made for a strange sight, a big blue box sitting randomly parked in an alley. The Doctor pulled out his key (something I noticed he still hadn't given to me yet), and put it in the lock.

"What are you going to do now?" Rose asked Charles. Somehow Charles looked far more alive than I had ever seen him. He wasn't as quiet as before.

"I shall take the mail coach back to London, quite literally post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends to them. After all I've learned tonight, there can be nothing more vital." He said, and I was very happy for him. There really was nothing more important than making sure you weren't on your own on days of celebration. I smiled at him. Rose also looked relieved.

"You've cheered up." The Doctor commented.

"Exceedingly! This morning, I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've just started. All these huge and wonderful notions, Doctor. I'm inspired. I must write about them." He said in excitement. I laughed at his enthusiasm.

"I'm glad, this world could stand to learn more about aliens and maybe they'll be less suspicious of people with blue hair." I said, winking at him. His eyes widened and I noticed a blush rose on his cheeks.

"Well, hmph, yes…I suppose. Although Lady Riana, your hair is very strange." He said. I rolled my eyes, but it was in good humour.

"Do you think that's wise?" Rose queried.

"I shall be subtle at first. The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle. Perhaps he was not of this Earth. The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals. I can spread the word, tell the truth." Charles explained. While half of that made no sense to me I could tell he was sincere in what he meant to do.

"Good luck with it. Nice to meet you. Fantastic." The Doctor said as he was about to enter the TARDIS.

"Bye, then, and thanks." Rose added as she shook his hand and kissed his cheek. I laughed as he spluttered.

"Goodbye Charles Dickens, thank you for being brave today, even when you were scared. I shan't forget this." I said as I also gently kissed his other cheek and made to follow Rose and the Doctor.

"Oh, my dear. How modern. Thank you, but, I don't understand. In what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?" Charles said in confusion. I laughed again as the Doctor spoke.

"You'll see. In the shed."

"Upon my soul, Doctor, Lady Riana, it's one riddle after another with you. But after all these revelations, there's one mystery you still haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?" Charles asked.

"We're just friends doing the right thing. Helping out where we're needed." I replied.

"But you have such knowledge of future times. I don't wish to impose on you, but I must ask you. My books. Doctor, do they last?" Charles asked.

"Oh, yes!" The Doctor cried happily.

"For how long?" He asked in a very vulnerable voice. But in my heart, I knew the answer, this kind brave man would be remembered for all time.

"Forever, Charles." I said softly.

"Right. Shed. Come on, Rose, Riana." The Doctor said as he pushed open the door and was about to enter when Charles made one last remark.

"In the box? All of you?" He asked. I smirked as the Doctor raised a brow at Charles.

"Down boy. See ya!" He said before he walked in and Rose followed behind him. I turned slightly to Charles.

"You'll like this bit. Remember what I said about impossible things, well watch." I hinted as I closed the door behind me. I walked back into the TARDIS and over to where Rose and the Doctor were gathered around a monitor showing Charles outside looking at the TARDIS in confusion.

"Doesn't that change history if he writes about blue ghosts?" Rose asked.

"In a week's time it's 1870, and that's the year he dies. Sorry. He'll never get to tell his story." The Doctor said with remorse. I sighed, I should have expected this.

"Oh, no. He was so nice." Rose said sadly.

"But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him back to life, and he's more alive now than he's ever been, old Charlie boy. Let's give him one last surprise." The Doctor said as he started flipping switches and pushing buttons, before he pulled down the dematerialization sequence lever. We all watched on as Charles's face grew amazed and filled with awe, as the familiar wheezing noise of the TARDIS filled the air.

"I'm glad we could do that for him. He was much braver than we gave him credit for in the end, Doctor, Rose." I said. Rose turned around and smiled at my statement.

"I just can't believe you made us go back to the theatre to get a signed book from him." She laughed. The Doctor smiled.

"Well you did just both meet one of the most influential authors in the universe." The Doctor declared. I snorted.

"Still forgetting I'm not from Earth Doctor. Plus, next time we go to meet someone famous, you're gonna take me to see Tiika Zelohnay." I stated. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"We'll see." He said teasingly. Rose laughed at our banter as she turned to throw her arms over both our shoulders.

"I'm just glad you two have stopped fighting. It's so nice to be back to normal. The three of us, in the TARDIS, Time and Space at our finger tips." She said. I tried to smile, but I knew it didn't fully meet my eyes as I looked over to see the Doctor looking just as uncomfortable.

"Rose, why don't you go and get changed we can catch up in a bit. I just need to talk to Riana for a bit, if that's alright?" He asked. Rose nodded, still slightly oblivious to the tension that still remained. With barely a glance back at us she flounced off up the ramp to go and get changed. Leaving me alone in the TARDIS with the Doctor.

"So…" I said awkwardly. The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. He sighed.

"I guess we need to talk about where this leaves us." He said. I really didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Doctor, I know you have your reasons for distrusting me and I know you won't talk about it. But as far how this changes anything, it doesn't. I can't stop myself from travelling through your timeline and I can't control where this stupid locket takes me. I just hope in time, you will be able to see for yourself that I am the real thing and that I only want to be your friend. I made a promise to someone, that I would be there for you no matter what. I know you have been through things that have left you broken and angry. But you're not alone. Not this time…. I'm here, if you need to talk. That's all I wanted you to know." I said quietly, resigning myself to being dismissed as usual. So I made to walk off, but stopped at the Doctor's voice.

"Wait. Please." He said. I turned around as I bit my lip. The Doctor's fist was clenched, but he approached me slowly.

"I was wrong. All those things I said today to you. You didn't deserve to hear that. You more than proved to me that you can be trusted. I was just bitter over you always being right and sometimes cleverer than me. Having all those people look up to you, especially with Rose. I don't deal well with others who know too much about me, when they do it can be dangerous, and I've just lost so many people in my life, that sometimes I think it's better to be alone. Riana can you understand that, you have changed my world? Forced me to care again, forced me to live…to be the Doctor. The one thing I didn't want to be after what I did." He said. I could feel tears gathering in my eyes, the pain in his voice was just so raw.

"Doctor…I didn't know. I swear I didn't know about any of this. It's just as new to me as it is to you. I just want to see you not in pain. Believe me when I say I understand, wanting to just lie down and die. To regret a decision in the past, but you showed me what this universe could offer, all the pain and tragedy to go with all the light and beauty. This Universe is worth saving and for as long as I can I will make sure they have a Doctor to save it and show them the good in it." I said vehemently.

"What I wanted to say, is can you forgive me for being an arse to you. I'm an old man and I sometimes get a bit too angry." The Doctor asked softly. I walked towards him and took his clenched fist in my hand. I nodded.

"I'll always forgive you, Doctor." I said, and I was surprised, that it was one of the most genuine things I had ever said and felt down to the core of my being. I would forgive him, for anything, given enough time. With that I went to smooth his fist out and take it in my hand only to be surprised to feel something small and metal in his palm. Turning his hand over I saw it was a charm, a brown wooden cross. Like the one I had seen in the Chapel of Rest. I gasped.

"I think after all of that, you deserve this. The code word will be Mysteries. Fitting don't you think." I swallowed as I gently took the charm and looked it over.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because, sometimes, not very often, I can be wrong, and you help me get it right." He said as he used his Sonic Screwdriver to undo the clasp on my bracelet and slide the cross onto it and do it back up again.

"No hard feelings then?" I asked cautiously.

"No hard feelings. Although I can't promise that I won't lose my temper again." He said warningly. I snorted.

"Oh, don't worry this isn't the first time you've yelled at me and it certainly won't be the last." I said lightly. With that I left the console room to go and place my new book on a spot on my shelf and take this ridiculous dress off.

As I was surveying myself in the new dress I had chosen, a soft dark grey knit one, with long sleeves and a white pattern around the edges, it came only to my knees, I looked in the mirror to see my reflection had been placed with Glory's.

"What do you want?" I said tiredly. She looked back at me with her glowing white eyes as if looking me over.

" _ **You did well today, Red One. Your powers over Time and Space have grown."**_ She said. I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, and I suppose I owe you a slight bit of thanks for warning me. But still what exactly are you and what do you want with me?" I said.

" _ **You do not know? We wish to spread our light, you will do this for us. With the power that lies slumbering in your Heart, the Red Light will wash over this Universe and with it we will follow. We wish to help."**_ It replied. I still did not like what it implied.

"What Red Light? What power in my heart?" I demanded, but Glory only blinked slowly and faded away. I sighed resigning myself to not getting any answers. I was just so tired and warn out from the last day alone and decided that I could do with some sleep. Making my way over to the plain covers I burrowed under them and fell asleep, not noticing when the Red Light enveloped me and carried me away to a different time and place.

 **Next Chapter: The Rebel Flesh- Solar Storms and Meeting Romans**

 **Akheet Word List**

 **Rao'wil** \- Very sour fruit whose juice is notoriously bitter.

 **Gobjem** \- Blue fruit drink. Riana's favourite, very common on Tiaanamat.

 **Snorri-** Equivalent of a weasel.

 **Kanwaii** \- Insanely mad.

 **Vespin** \- Equivalent of hell.

 **Magulli-** A cousin of the Ooska, which has an incredible sense of smell and an almost empathic ability to smell liars.

 **Uuta** \- A plant that is used to symbolise peace or surrender.

 **Kuaki** \- A jellyfish like species that is found in the atmosphere of the moon Pul'an'tan. It uses a rare form of very light gas called amoonium to float. Often kept as pets, as they do not require much maintenance for the children on Tiaanamat.

 **Zoon** \- Equivalent of flies.


End file.
